Search Tag: Communication
The Right Stuff: Information on Organ Donation
2016 03 Jul
The sensitive issue of providing information about organ donation to families of potential donors whilst not seeming to pressure them into giving consent has been addressed by a randomised controlled trial in Australia. The trial compared two videos of a simulated conversation about organ donation, the only difference being the amount of information... Read more
Study: Change Management in the ICU
2016 27 Jun
Relocating an ICU can involve not only a physical move but changes to work practices. Relocation should be planned with a systematic change management strategy, dedicated leadership, and a communication strategy, according to a study published in Australian Critical Care. Frances Fenghzhi Lin, RN, PhD, from the Centre for Health Practice Innovation,... Read more
Divergent Views on Prognosis Between Doctors and Surrogate Decision-Makers
2016 18 May
Surrogate decision makers for intensive care patients may misunderstand information given about the patient’s prognosis. Commonly, this misperception is attributed to poor understanding of medical information. However, a study from the United States, published in JAMA , has found that such discordance occurred in more than half of their sample,... Read more
Caregiver Stress - Palliative Care Consults Don’t Help More than Usual High Quality Care
2016 17 May
Research presented at the American Thoracic Society 2016 international conference showed that support from palliative care specialists did not improve anxiety and depression symptoms in caregivers of patients with chronic critical illness. Patients also saw little benefit as the additional support did not lead to reduced time on a breathing machine... Read more
Communication Device Used with Touch or Click of the Tongue Close to Market
2016 25 Apr
Patients in the ICU unable to speak may benefit from a device invented by Voxello, a spin-out company from the University of Iowa in the United States. The company is expecting to launch the device commercially later in 2016, following clinical trials and federal regulatory approval. Voxello’s device, called the “noddle" (combining 'noodle' for 'brain'... Read more
Do End-of-Life Communication Tools Improve Decision-Making?
2016 12 Apr
Patients admitted to the ICU commonly have not have discussed their end-of-life (EOL) goals with family or surrogate decision-makers. Even if patients have discussed their preferences, they may not be documented in the medical record. ICU staff therefore may need to discuss goals with families and patients. A variety of decision aids, communication... Read more
New President of Sectra’s Secure Communications Business Area
2016 06 Apr
Simo Pykälistö, currently CFO and Executive Vice President of Sectra AB (STO: SECT B), has been appointed President of Sectra’s Secure Communications business area. Simo Pykälistö grew up in Finland, was educated in the US and subsequently moved to Sweden. Simo Pykälistö is 43 years old and holds a degree in finance from the United States International... Read more
Standards for Healthy Critical Care Work Environments Updated
2016 28 Mar
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has announced the publication of the 2nd edition of its Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments . The standards, first published in 2005, identified previously discounted systemic behaviours that can result in unsafe conditions, and focus on the human factor. The Association... Read more
Computer Use LInked to Patient Satisfaction
2015 30 Nov
A new study appearing in JAMA Internal Medicine indicates that high computer use by clinicians in safety-net hospital clinics is associated with lower patient satisfaction. The observational study was conducted over two years at an academically affiliated public hospital with a basic electronic health record. Safety-net clinics cater for populations... Read more