Recently, ICU members of the Hospital Infanta Cristina presented in General session of the Hospital their new protocol for life-sustaining treatment limitation.
To do this, they created a multidisciplinary working group made up with all the ICU professionals (assistants, nurses and doctors).
From the recommendations of different Scientific Societies, they have drawn up a document that today share with us (click here to see download the Protocol -only available in Spanish–).
The aplication of this protocol requires that the decision would be taken jointly and unanimously, and it is very important the role of the staff. Therefore professionals are trained in breaking bad news and attention to the grief, among other aspects.
A box within the ICU has been prepared to allow accompanying the patient without limit of time or people (provided that it does not affect the attention or service provision), guaranteeing the privacy of the family, and in which, in addition, possible religious assistance is provided where required.
In this sense, and because of the most of these decisions implies the death of the patient, the team relies on the support of the Mobile Unit of intervention in grief – Center of Humanization of Health.
Remembering our missed Dr. Juan Gómez Rubí, “Humanization of the ICU environment cannot be made from outside, looking for the support of outsiders, whether or not linked to the patient, but changing to where necessary the attitudes of the professionals linked to the critical medicine”
As the authors say, the responsibility is ours.
Congratulations from IC-HU Project and thanks for sharing it for everyone: what is not given, it´s lost.
Happy Tuesday,
Gabi
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