Table 1.
Descriptive statistics of multiple-choice questions used in the survey
| Questions in the survey, n (%) | Responses (%) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of ICUs | Open: 88 (30.2%) | Closed: 104 (35.6%) | Semi-closed: 100 (34.1%) | ||||
| Type of patients in ICU | Medical: 50 (17.2%) | Surgical: 11 (3.6%) | Mixed: 191 (65.9%) | Cardiac: 11 (3.6%) | Neurology: 6 (2.1%) | New COVID: 5 (1.6%) | Others: 18 (6%) |
| Pre-pandemic time | |||||||
| Visiting policy | Fixed visiting hours: 232 (79.5%) | Flexible visiting hours: 28 (9.7%) | No visiting: 16 (5.4%) | Flexible visiting for vulnerable and EOL: 64 (21.8%) | Other: 5 (1.8%) | ||
| Visiting (hours/day) | 24 hours: 18 (6.3%) | 12–24 hours: 5 (1.8%) | 6–12 hours: 13 (4.5%) | 3–6 hours: 5 (17.8%) | <3 hours: 188 (64.4%) | Other: 15 (5.2%) | |
| HCP responsible for family communication | Admitting physician: 150 (51.4%) | ICU consultant: 233 (79.8%) | Specialist trainee: 161 (55.3%) | Nurse: 72 (24.8%) | Dedicated team: 11 (3.9%) | Other: 20 (6.9%) | |
| Place for HCP-family communication | Bedside: 72 (24.5%) | Dedicated room: 131 (44.7%) | Corridor/ad-hoc space: 78 (26.6%) | Other: 12 (4.2%) | |||
| Procedure of informed consent | In-person and documentation: 272 (93.1%) | In-person under video/audio recording and documentation: 17 (5.9%) | Recorded video/audio: 2 (0.7%) | Recorded video/audio and documentation by physician: 1 (0.3%) | |||
| Procedure for DNAR or EOL discussions with family members | In-person: 239 (81.8%) | In-person or video, audio recording: 8 (2.7%) | Video/audio calling to family members: 2 (0.7%) | Other: 43 (14.8%) | No DNAR: 38 (13%) | ||
| HCP responsible for DNAR or EOL discussions | Consultant: 145 (49.7%) | Specialist trainee: 17 (5.8%) | Combined: 91 (31.2%) | Nurse 0 | Dedicated team: 1 (0.3%) | Other (Public relation officer/administrator/nontreating consultant) 38 (13%) | No DNAR: 38 (13%) |
| During COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||
| Visiting restricted more than pre-pandemic time | Yes: 269 (92.1%) | No change: 22 (7.2%) | Liberal: 1 (0.7%) | ||||
| Visiting policy | Daily: 70 (23.9%) | Alternate day: 2 (0.6%) | On request: 91 (31.1%) | Only during EOL care: 65 (22.1%) | Vulnerable patients: 39 (13.3%) | Never: 94 (32.3%) | Other: 11 (3.6%) |
| Are families being communicated? | Yes: 274 (94%) | No: 18 (6%) | |||||
| Frequency of communication | Once/day: 140 (48%) | Twice/day: 90 (30.8%) | During any significant change in patient condition: 133 (45.6%) | Every time family members want to know: 93 (31.7%) | Other: 8 (2.7%) | ||
| Method of family communications | Audio calls by ICU team: 197 (67.4%) | Audio calls made by family members: 78 (26.6%) | Video conference: 59 (20.2%) | In-person: 131 (45%) | Other: 7 (2.4%) | ||
| HCP responsible for family members communication | Admitting physician: 132 (45.3%) | ICU consultant: 221 (75.8%) | Specialist trainee: 168 (57.4%) | Nurse: 69 (23.6%) | Dedicated team: 13 (4.5%) | Other: 18 (6.3%) | |
| Type of ICUs | Open: 88 (30.2%) | Closed: 104 (35.6%) | Semi-closed: 100 (34.1%) | ||||
| Type of patients in ICU | Medical: 50 (17.2%) | Surgical: 11 (3.6%) | Mixed: 191 (65.9%) | Cardiac: 11 (3.6%) | Neurology: 6 (2.1%) | New COVID: 5 (1.6%) | Others: 18 (6%) |
| Procedure of informed consent | In-person and documentation: 120 (41%) | In-person under video/audio recording and documentation: 44 (14.8%) | Recorded video/audio: 25 (8.6%) | Recorded video/audio and documentation by physician: 104 (35.5%) | |||
| Procedure for DNAR or EOL discussion with family members | In-person: 133 (45.5%) | In-person under video, audio recording: 69 (23.6%) | Video/audio calling to family members: 49 (16.8%) | Other: 41 (14.1%) | No DNAR: 40 (14%) | ||
| HCP responsible for DNAR or EOL discussion | Consultant: 122 (41.8%) | Specialist trainee: 21 (7.2%) | Combined: 105 (36%) | Nurse: 1 (0.3%) | Dedicated team: 1 (0.3%) | Other (Public relation officer/administrator/nontreating consultant): 42 (14.4%) | No DNAR: 40 (14%) |
N, number of ICUs; ICU, intensive care unit; DNAR, do not attempt to resuscitate; HCP, healthcare professional; EOL, end-of-life-care; COVID-19, coronavirus disease-2019. Dedicated team: designated team of physician, nurse, and social worker for communication on EOL or DNAR