Values, preferences and goals identified during shared decision making between critically ill patients and their doctors

Objective: Examine values, preferences and goals elicited by doctors following goals-of-care (GOC) discussions with critically ill patients who had life-limiting illnesses. Design: Descriptive qualitative study using four-stage latent content analysis. Setting: Tertiary intensive care unit (ICU) in South Western Victoria. Participants: Adults illnesses were admitted to the ICU documented GOC, between October 2016 July 2018. Intervention: The iValidate program, a shared decision-making clinical communication education support for all registrars August 2015. Main outcome measures: Matrix of themes subthemes categorised into goals. Results: A total 354 GOC forms analysed from 218 ICU. In categories goals, four identified: connectedness relational autonomy, autonomy decision maker, balancing quality quantity life, physical comfort. — relationships, sense place, enjoyment activities, independence, dignity, cognitive function, longevity comfort provided matrix issues identified as important patients. Relationship, independence statements most frequently identified; was least identified. Conclusion: Our analysis medical staff ICU, training revealed framework that could provide structure assist clinicians engage making.