Supporting a patient in the ICU

Caregiver support is a vital part of a patient’s care. There are several things a caregiver can do to help a patient in the ICU:

• Keep your visits short, but visit frequently.
• Talk to the patient, even if they are sedated or unable to speak. Offer reassurance about things that may be on their mind, for example, how children or the family pet are doing.
• If the patient is awake but has an endotracheal (ET) tube, they will not be able to speak. In that case, communicate by asking questions that require only yes or no answers, by using a pen and paper, or with pictures.
• Show care by holding their hand or touching their face. You may also want to bring some personal items from home such as family photos, but please leave valuables at home. Flowers and plants are not allowed in the ICU. 
• Having someone in the ICU can be a very stressful experience. Be sure to take the time to take care of yourself.