Getting to know you as a person

Getting to know patients and families as individuals is a huge part of what we do in Intensive Care. We know that this can greatly improve your experience of Intensive Care and can aid your recovery, by helping you to be more involved with, and feel more positive about your recovery. Finding out more about you can be difficult, whilst family members are not allowed to visit the Unit. Some Units have set up family liaison teams to help us do that. They or other staff may have called your family at home, to ask about who and what is important to you in your everyday life e.g. your family and friends, your hobbies and interests, your pets, the type of music you like, etc, etc. Many Units display this information at the bedside, so that anyone who is looking after you can find out more about what matters to you.The staff may also have asked your family to send in photographs and messages, to help decorate the area around your bed. We hope that these sorts of things will haved helped raise your spirits as you become more awake and aware of your surroundings. They also help the ICU and rehabilitation teams to set meaningful goals with you, as they guide you through your recovery.