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Health-care systems around the world are striving to be patient-centered, and there is growing evidence that engaging patients and families in their care, as well as in efforts to redesign services, contributes to improved outcomes and experiences for patients and providers. This patient-oriented care movement includes efforts to improve the quality of information and communication between health-care professionals and patients as well as families and caregivers. Whiteboards have emerged as a best practice in hospitals to promote engagement and improve information and communication, yet with limited empirical evidence regarding their value to patients, families, or interprofessional teams. We introduced whiteboards on an acute medical unit at a community hospital and conducted an evaluation using a pre-post design collecting both qualitative and quantitative data. Baseline and post-implementation data were collected via qualitative interviews with patients/family and providers and using the Canadian Patient Experience Survey; focus groups were held with staff and members of the care team. Qualitative results highlighted improvements in communication between the care team and patients as well as family members. Implications for practice include attention to patient/family empowerment and safety, adherence to guidance for good communication, and support for regular training and education in the use of communication tools for members of the interprofessional team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Communication between the nurse and the patient is recognized as an important component of care that fosters the creation of therapeutic relationships, yet it is seen as a major shortcoming in intensive care units (ICUs). In this paper the authors explore the diverse factors that affect nursing practices with regard to nurse-patient communication. Purpose: 1) To encourage nurses to reflect on how they communicate with patients in their current practice. 2) To contribute to an ongoing, open discussion regarding nurse-to-patient communication within the critical care setting. 3) To increase awareness and understanding of Gottlieb's (2013) Strengths-Based strategies for nurse-to-patient communication. Methods: Subjective information about nursing perspectives on communication practices were obtained through informal discussions with critical care nurses in Montreal, Canada and were then compared to the existing literature. Results: Data was gathered from nineteen ICU nurses; 63% of the participants stated that they believed nurse-to-patient communication was inadequate on their units. Through analysis of the data, challenges to communication were identified as well as suggestions to overcome these barriers. Factors affecting communication were found to exist in four domains: the system, the team, the nurse and the patient. Conclusion: Communication plays an integral role in nursing care but is often neglected in lieu of more technical and medical care. In response to the findings, strengths-based approaches to communicate vital information to patients are proposed. In response to this paper, further evaluation and implementation 0) communication strategies to improve nurse-to-patient communication within the ICU setting may be practised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Goals: This poster will showcase an evidence-based tool developed for nurses to provide optimal collaborative end-of-life (EOL) care to patients and families. The successes, challenges of its implementation and future development of this tool in critical care units will be further discussed. Outcome 1: Identify evidence-based strategies for quality endof- life care Outcome 2: Reflect on the nurses' roles and responsibilities to integrate collaborative end-of-life care within their practice Outcome 3: Explain the importance of a collaborative interdisciplinary approach in providing end-of-life care with patients and families Description: Traditionally, the intensive care unit's focus is on aggressive, curative treatments to optimize recovery of the critically ill patient. At times, all treatment options are exhausted and recovery is not feasible, indicating a need to transition towards end-of-life care. Guidelines for end-of-life care are imperative for both nurses and the healthcare team in order to facilitate and provide compassionate and quality care. To address this need, a group of nursing students developed a tool that would guide nurses to deliver comprehensive quality care to their patients and families. Their initiative provides resource tools, with the goal of improving communication between the healthcare professionals and patients/families. Moreover, this tool facilitates nurses' engagement with patients/families to be active participants in this meaningful moment. This poster outlines the implementation and dissemination of this tool in multiple critical care settings, in hopes of empowering nurses to lead and inspire other interdisciplinary healthcare providers to partner with patients/ families in advocating and prioritizing quality end-of-life care for critically ill patients and their loved ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/goals: The purpose of this poster presentation is to raise awareness about PICS for critical care nurses and the members of the interprofessional team in the ICU. Our goal is to propose a strengths approach to prevent and reduce the long-term risks of PICS to patients and their families following discharge. Outcome 1: Reflect upon their roles as advocates for PICS prevention and symptom management. Outcome 2: Identify possible interventions that could be implemented to decrease the impact of PICS on the patient's quality of life post discharge. Outcome 3: Provide an effective discharge plan for the patient and the family regarding PICS prevention and management. Session description: Advances in the critical care setting have reduced the rate of mortality among patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Although more patients are recovering from their critical illness, success needs to be reflected in both ICU survival rates and optimal patient return to prehospital functional abilities (Makic, 2016). Post intensive care syndrome (PICS) is defined as a “new or worsening impairment in physical, cognitive, or mental health status arising after critical illness and persisting beyond discharge from the acute care setting” (Needham, 2012). PICS is identified as being both common and persistent after ICU discharge, with symptoms lasting from months to years. According to Rawal (2017), "the limited awareness about PICS among caregivers, may lead to a reduced quality of life, and cause significant suffering for patients and their families.” The purpose of this poster presentation is to raise awareness about PICS for critical care nurses and the members of the inter-professional team in the ICU. Our goal is to propose a strengths-based care approach to prevent and reduce the long-term risks of PICS to patients and their families following discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/goals: The goal of this presentation is to highlight common communication challenges faced in an ICU with a multicultural and multilingual patient population, as well as present evidence-based strategies to overcome these challenges and provide optimal care for a diverse range of patients. Session description: In Canada, more than 20% of the population is immigrants whose first language may be neither English nor French (Statistics Canada, 2013). This creates language barriers that pose communication challenges throughout our healthcare system, especially in the ICU where patients often have difficulty communicating prior to the factoring in of these barriers. In a study by Bartlett et al. (2008), patients with communication barriers were found to be three times more likely to experience a preventable adverse event than patients without a barrier, highlighting the critical relevance of language barriers in the healthcare system. Our poster will present a scoping of the literature on language barriers in the ICU, and how these barriers contribute to poor patient outcomes when inadequately addressed. Using a strengths-based approach, EBS tailored for the fast pace of the ICU will be proposed to address challenges, such as assessment of mental status with allophone patients; conducting family meetings with culturally diverse backgrounds. Learning outcomes: 1. Nurses will have knowledge of the evidence-based strategies (EBS) to address the challenges that language barriers pose in a culturally diverse ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/goals: This poster will identify the relationship between self-care practices in nursing and its impact on quality of care towards patients and families in critical care settings. The goal is to advocate for nurses to adopt self-care strategies for better quality of care which, ultimately, contributes to healthy healing environments for all. Outcome 1: Identify the importance of engaging in self-care practices in critical care settings Outcome 2: Engage in quality care practices in order to positively impact the patient's and family's experiences Outcome 3: Contribute to an optimal healing environment in critical care settings, potentially reducing costs related to quality of care. Session description: Critical care units are stressful, fast-paced environments. High turnover and burnout rates impact the physical and mental well-being of the nurses in these areas. These factors can result in increased falls and medical errors potentially threatening patient safety and increasing the costs of quality care nursing in these highly specialized areas of practice. The concept of self-care has been defined as being multidimensional, not only in theory, but also in practice. Increased rates of burnout, depression and musculoskeletal disorders have been identified as challenges related to selfcare negligence. Engaging in self-care practices contributes to increased resilience leading to stress reduction and overall well-being. Practising self-care will support a healing environment that mitigates these risks, promotes resilience and leads to increased levels of patient satisfaction. Advocating for an environment that promotes self-care strategies for nurses will inspire healthy healing environments for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/goals: The purpose of this session is to identify the challenges that nurses face while caring for their critically ill patients with a diagnosed mental health illness as an underlying co-morbidity. Our goal will be to propose evidence-based approaches to address these concerns using a patient-centred approach to care. Outcome 1: To identify the priority strengths that patients with pre-existing mental health illness can draw upon when hospitalized in a critical care setting. Outcome 2: To identify the potential hidden challenges that patients with mental health illness in a critical care setting may face. Outcome 3: To identify the necessary interventions that will support nurses as advocates for providing a tailored approach to care. Session description: One in three Canadians will experience mental health illness during their lifetime, representing a significant portion of the patient population. According to Lindahl and Sandman (1998), critical care nurses are in a unique position to advocate for their patients and families. They are, in many respects, the optimal healthcare professionals due to their combination of clinical expertise, technical and theoretical abilities, and their privileged knowledge of their patients' and familys' identified needs (Albarran, 1992). Critically ill patients often arrive with multiple comorbidities that may place them in a vulnerable state. A mental health illness, as an underlying and often hidden comorbidity, may further complicate the treatment plan. Patient advocacy, an essential component of nursing leadership, means nurses should be prepared to advocate for change to address issues of injustice, inequity and other disparities affecting patients' health (CASN, 2015), often seen with patients dealing with mental health issues. Our poster will propose a strengths-based approach to guide nurses in developing a tailored plan of care for these patients and their families. We will also identify the patient's strengths, the potential hidden challenges of a mental health illness, as a comorbidity, as well as the interventions that will support nurses, as advocates. This information will be gathered through a literature review and informal discussions with critical care nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/goals: The goal is to explore diverse perspectives and practices of critical care nurses with respect to what information is being provided to patients. We will propose a strengths-based approach to communicate vital information more effectively to our patients. Session description: Information sharing is essential to nursing care, yet it is recognized as a major shortcoming. According to a study by Guttormson, Bremer, and Jones (2015), over one third of the participants reported a lack of information received by the intensive care clinicians. As a result, patients' understandings of their environment and health status are impaired. This leads to an increase in patient stress and anxiety, which can negatively affect their health outcomes (Meriläinen, Kyngäs & Ala-Kokko, 2013). Our poster will present the diverse perspectives and practices of critical care nurses with respect to what information is being provided to patients. This information will be gathered through a literature review and informal discussions with critical care nurses. In response to these findings, we will propose a strengths-based approach to communicate vital information to our patients. Learning outcomes: 1. Reflect on current practices in how they provide informational support to patients. 2. Have an increased awareness and understanding of strengths-based strategies for providing basic/vital information to patients. 3. Contribute to an ongoing, open discussion regarding nurse-patient information sharing in the intensive care unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/goals: To describe the experiences of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses when caring for families and their neonates from Indigenous communities. To propose a strengths-based approach for providing culturally competent care for families in the NICU. Session description: The political and social climates within Canada are currently centred on Indigenous well-being. Within our healthcare system there are many preconceived notions of Indigenous populations resulting in cultural misunderstanding and mistrust. These presumed biases can often lead to negative health outcomes. The literature supports the notion that these biases may impact the nurse-mother dynamic within the NICU. This presentation seeks to explore this phenomena through a comprehensive literature review, while identifying the factors influencing these biases. Furthermore, we probe how these biases affect the dynamic between the nurse and mother, subsequently altering the care during the NICU hospitalization experiences. Nurses within the NICU are in a unique position to offer an unparalleled opportunity to enhance the overall experience of Indigenous families, and to provide holistic care and education in a culturally safe environment. Learning outcomes: 1. Identify bias in the care of Indigenous populations within this specialized healthcare setting, and how these biases may affect the mother-nurse dynamic and care of the child. 2. Identify strategies for promoting culturally competent care using a strengths-based approach for these families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]