ICU patient education

[ArrowRN, BSN, RN]

Hello,

I'm a nursing student. We are on clinical rotations in the critical care units. I'd like to know if anyone has good online resources for providing patient education on these units or what are some things I can talk about to educate patients or their relatives in this setting.

What do you talk about?

I know daily charting involves education and most of the nurses on the floor just check off they did this and that but I never see anyone actually educate.

Reason I'm asking is most patients are on ventilators and are unable to communicate but sometimes we can educate the relatives. This is for a patient case study I'm working on. I don't need all the answers just basic guidance on where to start and any ideas.

How often do you educate patients and relatives on your shift in this unit? Thanks

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

Talking about the plan of care is education, talking to the pt before turns, mouth care etc it''s education.. Even with the intubated and sedated pts, you should still talk to them and tell them what you are doing, that too is education :) Talking to the pt and or family about medications is; you guessed it...education.. When they ask "what's those things on his legs" ie SCD's, and you explain, that is education... To us, it is just a conversation but the pts and families get alot of education out of it.. When you answer any who, what or why questions from the pts or their families, it is all education.

[ArrowRN, BSN, RN]

Thanks I guess I'm thinking too much like a student or overthinking. It will take a while for students to get that natural flow into a conversation.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

*What the meds we're giving are for

*what the plan of care is

*vent weaning plan--pressure support trial today? have vent settings been reduced? (RT does a lot of education in this area)

*nutrition is often important to families--how are they being fed/hydrated? Many families get concerned about the lack of actual eating

*If the pt has ICP issues...stimulation a big one. The family get in the pt's face, rubbing their hands and feet, talking to them, etc. Most have been told at some point to talk to someone "in a coma." For someone having ICP issues, they need to be stimulated as LITTLE as possible.

*Activity restrictions--e.g. NO logrolling, HOB flat for an unstable spine; must clamp EVD before moving (these examples are obviously important for the A&O pt)

*Any answers to their questions

Most education is given in bits and pieces, in conversations. Also I'll explain to them what I'm doing and why, as I go