Families come to the table with their own baggage, education levels, and cultural values. But the process can be simplified through communication regardless of how awkward the situation may appear. It should be a mandatory part of the medical school curriculum, Sieger added, and be included in continuing education seminars. We can work together with the family to prevent misunderstandings and clarify our roles in patient care because, to the family, one scrub suit looks just like another. She added families mistake RTs and nurses for doctors as well as hearing different information from hospital staff.
Confusion simply causes more pain and uncertainty for the patient and family.
Fuzzy Definitions One problem with EOL care is a shift in defining the reason for intubating patients. He speaks about EOL issues from personal experience. Although my father recovered, I still believe we should not keep people in a persistent vegetative state. If everyone would agree on the objectives in care, it would make things easier. But even if everyone agreed, gray areas remain.