Grant: Project Grant

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) are very sick and receive vital supportive care for all kinds of illnesses such as trauma, infections and stroke. Once a patient begins to recover, they leave the ICU and usually move to another part of the hospital or go directly home. This is part of the journey to recovery. For patients who have been very sick this is a big change in their care environment. There are new doctors and nurses in charge of their care (or maybe even no one when they go home) and their everyday looks very different from when they were in the ICU. This can cause a lot of confusion and stress for patients and their families (who often play key support roles for patients). Only the patient and their family stay the same as they move through the healthcare system. This makes it very important for the patient and their family to be informed and involved in their care. Starting an early discussion with patients and their families about their return home can help make the discharge process a lot smoother and less stressful. The goal of this study is to create a tool for early discharge planning that helps patients and their families become involved in their care as soon as they are admitted to the ICU. To do this we will work together with patients, families, doctors and nurses to create a tool that is easy to use and that meets their needs. We will help patients and families learn about their ICU care and learn what they need after the ICU. Patients and their families will be more informed and have more control over their care. We will improve communication between patients, families, doctors and nurses. Our goal is to have patients as the leaders of their own care, informed and in control.