Family-centered care: meeting the needs of patients' families and helping families adapt to critical illness.

www.ccnonline.org This poem is based on a true experience that I had with an elderly woman when I was working as a nurse manager/clinical nurse specialist. The woman experienced unnecessary distress after her husband’s death because she lacked information about the cause of death and had misinterpreted events. She carried this burden for a whole year before getting clarification. The vignette illuminates a common problem in the intensive care unit (ICU). Patients’ family members are personally affected by the experience with critical care. Each family member’s own health and well-being may be affected by whether his or her needs are met and by the actions of the health care team.