Information needs of the ICU patient: a Belgian experience

Objectives: To assess the information needs of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and to identify possible methods to improve the information given. Design: Questionnaire. Setting: 31-bed mixed medico-surgical ICU. Subjects: 50 ICU patients treated following elective cardiac, neuro, thoracic, or vascular surgery. Main results: Thirty-four of 41 (83%) patients felt that it is necessary to receive information during the ICU stay, with oral communication being seen as the most valuable method of communicating, followed by a brochure. Thirty-six of 41 (88%) patients felt it would be valuable to receive information about their stay in advance. In general, patients would have preferred to receive more information than they were given. Conclusions: Many ICU patients would like to receive more information than they are given and would like to receive this prior to their ICU stay. Good verbal staff/patient communication is essential and the use of a brochure may also facilitate the transfer of information.