Perspectives of Non-Speaking ICU Patients and their Families on Goals-of-Care and End-of-Life Discussions

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore how patients and their caregivers perceived their communication during goals-of-care/end-of-life discussions and decision-making in the intensive care unit (ICU). The patient participants were temporarily non-speaking due to their medical treatment and used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) during their stay in the ICU. Results from patient participants were garnered when they reported their experience retrospectively. The long-term goal was to support strategies and assist in the development of AAC tools for patient participation during goals-of-care and end-of-life conversations.

Cultural adaptation in Quebec of the COMHON index: a tool for assessing the risk of pressure injury in critically ill patients

CJCCN Volume 37, Number 1, 2026

Coping Strategies Used by Registered Nurses in Acute and Critical Care Settings: A scoping review protocol

Abstract

Background & Purpose: Acute and Critical Care (ACC) settings are a highly demanding and specific environment for registered nurses (RNs) to provide care in, and the use of coping strategies is key to supporting their work-related well-being. However, currently, there is a lack of comprehensive evidence on how RNs in ACC settings, specifically, cope with work-related stressors. Therefore, this review will summarize the international literature on coping strategies RNs use in ACC settings to deal with work-related stressors.

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Canadian intensive care nurses’ infection prevention and control adherence and institutional trust: An update 1-year into the pandemic

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nurses are key healthcare workers whose adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures is integral to the prevention of nosocomial spread of SARS-COV-2. Institutional trust is an important correlate of adherence. After initially surveying nurses early in 2020, we sought to evaluate how perceptions of IPC measures and institutional trust changed one year into the pandemic.

METHODS: We adapted an internationally distributed cross-sectional questionnaire, incorporating validated scales for items including institutional trust,

Barriers and facilitators in the provision of palliative care in critical care: A qualitative descriptive study of nurses’ perspectives

Intensive care units are providing increasing amounts of palliative care. Accordingly, integrating palliative care as a component of comprehensive critical care has been identified as a necessity. The purpose of this study was to explore what critical care nurses perceive as barriers and facilitators in the provision of palliative care in the critical care setting.

Burnout and compassion fatigue among organ donation coordinators: A Canadian perspective

Abstract

Aim: To understand the experiences and perceptions of burnout and compassion fatigue among Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators (OTDCs) in Canada.

Methods: A series of virtual focus group discussions were held with OTDCs from across Canada to discuss burnout and compassion fatigue as part of a national research project in collaboration with Canadian Blood Services, the organ donation and transplantation community, and experts in the field.