Family Members' Experiences with Observing Pain Behaviors Using the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool

Understanding family carer experiences and perceptions of engagement in delirium prevention and care for adults in hospital: Qualitative systematic review

AIM

To identify, describe and synthesise what is known about family carers' experiences and perspectives of engagement in delirium prevention and care for adults in hospital.

DESIGN

Systematic review and synthesis of qualitative evidence.

DATA SOURCES

Comprehensive literature search within PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Central and PsycInfo databases to August 2022. Peer reviewed original qualitative research published in English.

METHODS

Data were extracted using Covidence systematic review software. Methodological quality was reviewed against the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) Qualitative Checklist. Thematic synthesis was used to develop analytical themes. Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (GRADE-CERQual) framework was applied to findings.

RESULTS

Of 3429 records identified, 29 met criteria for final inclusion. Studies included a range of settings (intensive care, medical and surgical wards) and family carer types (spouse, daughter, parent and friend). Three primary themes Shared Caregiving, Partnership and Support, Communication for Shared Understanding and three cross-cutting contextual themes Care Transitions, Family Carer Context and Hospital Context were identified. Family carers have mixed experiences of involvement in delirium care and prevention. Family carer engagement in care impacted perceptions of care quality and their own self-efficacy. Where person-centred care expectations were not met, some family carers adopted compensatory or care contingency strategies. Information sharing and timely support from hospital staff who understood the carer context supported carer involvement. Supportive physical environments and addressing power imbalances allowed greater engagement.

CONCLUSION

Family carers often wish to be involved in delirium prevention and care, but need to be recognised as individuals, listened to, informed and supported to optimise their contribution.

IMPACT

The review findings can guide health professional and decision makers to optimise family carer involvement in delirium care programs.

PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO [CRD42020221854].

REPORTING

ENTREQ. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Preliminary clinical testing to inform development of the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool for Families (CPOT-Fam)

Introduction

Many patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) cannot communicate. For these patients, family caregivers (family members/close friends) could assist in pain assessment. We previously adapted the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) for family caregiver use (CPOT-Fam). In this study, we conducted preliminary clinical evaluation of the CPOT-Fam to inform further tool development.

Methods

For preliminary testing, we collected (1) pain assessments of patients in the ICU from family caregivers (CPOT-Fam) and nurses (CPOT) and determined the degree of agreement (kappa coefficient, κ) and (2) collected openended feedback on the CPOT-Fam from family caregivers. For refinement, we used preliminary testing data to refine the CPOT-Fam with a multidisciplinary working group.

Results

We assessed agreement between family caregiver and nurse pain scores for 29 patients. Binary agreement (κ) between CPOT-Fam and CPOT item scores (scores ≥2 considered indicative of significant pain) was fair, κ = 0.43 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18-0.69). Agreement was highest for the CPOT-Fam items ventilator compliance/vocalization (weighted κ = 0.48, 95% CI 0.15-0.80) and lowest for muscle tension (weighted κ = 0.10, 95% [CI] -0.17 to 0.20). Most participants (n = 19; 69.0%) reported a very positive experience using the CPOT-Fam, describing it as "good" and "easy-to-use/clear/straightforward." We iteratively refined the CPOT-Fam over five cycles using the data collected until no further revisions were suggested.

Conclusion

Our preliminary clinical testing suggests that family involvement in pain assessment in the ICU is well perceived. The CPOT-Fam has been further refined and is now ready for clinical pilot testing to determine its feasibility and acceptability.

Development and preclinical testing of the critical care pain observation tool for family caregiver use (CPOT-Fam)

Background and Aims

Pain assessment in noncommunicative intensive care unit (ICU) patients is challenging. For these patients, family caregivers (i.e., family members, friends) may be able to assist in pain assessment by identifying individualistic signs of pain due to their intimate patient knowledge. This study adapted the critical care pain observation tool (CPOT) to facilitate pain assessment in adult ICU patients by family caregivers.

Methods

This study was conducted through three distinct phases: (1)CPOT adaptation for family caregiver use (to create the CPOT-Fam): A working group met monthly to adapt the CPOT and develop educational material and sample cases for practice scoring until consensus was reached.(2)CPOT-Fam preclinical testing: Family caregiver study participants viewed educational materials and scored four randomly selected sample cases using the CPOT-Fam. Scores were compared to reference scores to assess agreement and identify CPOT-Fam sections requiring revision. Open-ended feedback on the CPOT-Fam was collected.(3)CPOT-Fam revision: the CPOT-Fam was revised by the working group considering score agreement and feedback received from study participants.

Results

Of the n = 30 participants, n = 14 (47.0%) had experience with an ICU patient. Agreement between CPOT-Fam participant scores and reference scores were highest for the vocalization dimension (Is the patient making any sounds?; Intraclass correlation coefficient; ICC = 1.0) and lowest for the body movements dimension (What are the patient's body movements like?; ICC = 0.85. Participants indicated they found the CPOT-Fam to be "informative" and "easy-to-use" but "not graphic enough"; participants also indicated that descriptors like "lack of breath" and "struggling to move" are helpful with identifying individualistic behaviors of pain exhibited by their loved ones.

Conclusion

The CPOT-Fam shows ease of use and may be of value in involving family caregivers in ICU care. Clinical pilot testing is needed to determine feasibility and acceptability and identify further areas for refinement.

Study protocol: development and pilot testing of the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool for families (CPOT-Fam)

Background

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often have limited ability to communicate making it more difficult to identify and effectively treat their pain. Family caregivers or close friends of critically ill patients may be able to identify signs of pain before the clinical care team and could potentially assist in routine pain assessments. This study will adapt the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) for use by family members to create the CPOT-Fam and compare family CPOT-Fam assessments with nurse-provided CPOT assessments for a given patient.

Methods

This study will be executed in two phases:

1) Development of the CPOT-Fam — A working group of patient partners, ICU clinicians, and researchers will adapt the CPOT for use by family caregivers (creating the CPOT-Fam) and produce an accompanying educational module to deliver information on pain and how to use the tool. The CPOT-Fam will undergo preclinical testing with participants (i.e., members of the public and family caregivers of critically ill adults), who will complete the educational module and provide CPOT-Fam scores on sample cases. Feedback on the CPOT-Fam will be collected.

2) Pilot testing the CPOT — Fam family caregivers of critically ill adults will complete the educational module and provide information on the following: (1) demographics, (2) anxiety, (3) caregiving self-efficacy, and (4) satisfaction with care in the ICU. Family caregivers will then provide a proxy assessment of their critically ill loved one’s pain through the CPOT-Fam and also provide a subjective (i.e., questionnaire-based including open-ended responses) account of their loved one’s pain status. A comparison (i.e., agreement) will be made between family caregiver provided CPOT-Fam scores and ICU nurse-provided CPOT scores (collected from the provincial health information system), calculated independently and blinded to one another. Feasibility and acceptability of the CPOT-Fam will be determined.

Discussion

The results of this work will produce a family caregiver CPOT (i.e., CPOT-Fam), determine feasibility and acceptability of the CPOT-Fam, and compare pain assessments conducted by family caregivers and ICU nurses. The results will inform whether a larger study to determine a role for family caregivers in ICU pain assessment using the CPOT-Fam is warranted.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40814-022-01102-3.

Role of Family Members in Pain Management in Adult Critical Care

This review describes family member involvement in intensive care unit pain assessment and management and generates implications for clinical practice, education, and future research. A literature review was performed in MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases from their inception until April 30, 2019. Only 11 studies addressing the topic were identified, and the current quality of evidence is low. Family members can be involved in pain assessment by describing patients' pain behaviors and in pain management by selecting and delivering nonpharmacological interventions tailored to patients' needs, if the family members feel comfortable with this role. More-rigorous research is required to describe the role of family members in patients' pain assessment and management. Advancing knowledge in this field could improve patients' and family members' experiences with pain assessment and management in the intensive care unit.

Pain Assessment in the Patient Unable to Self-Report: Clinical Practice Recommendations in Support of the ASPMN 2019 Position Statement

Pain is a subjective experience, unfortunately, some patients cannot provide a self-report of pain verbally, in writing, or by other means. In patients who are unable to self-report pain, other strategies must be used to infer pain and evaluate interventions. In support of the ASPMN position statement "Pain Assessment in the Patient Unable to Self-Report", this paper provides clinical practice recommendations for five populations in which difficulty communicating pain often exists: neonates, toddlers and young children, persons with intellectual disabilities, critically ill/unconscious patients, older adults with advanced dementia, and patients at the end of life. Nurses are integral to ensuring assessment and treatment of these vulnerable populations.