Phillipa Haslehurst

Voluntary Services were approached in January 2021 to support ICU to liaise with the next of kin of all ICU patients. The purpose was to set up a system to share a web hyperlink/QR code explaining what resources/animations were available via the platform Explain my Procedure.  We created a spreadsheet to record the outcome of the calls.  Very quickly we realised how beneficial these calls were to the next of kin at such a difficult time in their life.  The content was of value as they could share with extended family and this lessened the burden on the next of kin of having to explain the care their loved one was receiving.  Staff fed back that the animations facilitate the explanations staff provide to families over the telephone.  The animations have given families an understanding of the ICU environment, before stepping physically into ICU for the first time as part of an end-of-life care process.