Teaching Residents Communication Skills around Death and Dying in the Trauma Bay.

Traumatic events are sudden, unexpected, and often devastating. The delivery of difficult news to patients and families in the trauma setting has unique challenges that necessitate communication skills that may differ from those used in other clinical environments. Design and implement a novel curriculum to teach, assess, and provide feedback to trauma residents on the communication skills necessary for delivering difficult news to patients and families in the trauma setting.

Digital communications and social media use in surgery: how to maximize communication in the digital age.

Communication among patients, colleagues, and staff in healthcare has changed dramatically in the last decade. Digital technology and social media sites have allowed instantaneous access to information. The potential for information technology to improve access to healthcare, enhance the quality, and lower the cost is significant.

Unmet palliative care needs in elderly trauma patients: can the Palliative Performance Scale help close the gap?

Background: The elderly injured have significant palliative care (PC) needs due to increased mortality and poor functional outcomes. We hypothesized the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) could be predictive of poor outcomes in elderly trauma patients.

Methods: Retrospective study of trauma patients 55 years or older admitted to the surgical intensive care unit.

Teaching Surgery Residents the Skills to Communicate Difficult News to Patient and Family Members: A Literature Review.

Background: Trainees and practicing physicians alike find breaking bad, sad, or difficult news to a patient or family member as one of the most challenging communication tasks they perform. Interpersonal and communication skills are a core competency for resident training. However, in disciplines where technical skills have a major emphasis, such as surgery, the teaching of communication skills may not be a priority.

Risk factors for delirium in older trauma patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit.

Background: Adults (age > 50 years) admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) are at high risk for delirium. Little is known about the role traumatic injury plays in the development of delirium because these patients have often been excluded from studies. Identification of specific risk factors for delirium among older adults following injury would be useful to guide prevention strategies.

Delirium prevention program in the surgical intensive care unit improved the outcomes of older adults.

Background: Hospital-acquired delirium is a known risk factor for negative outcomes in patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Outcomes worsen as the duration of delirium increases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a delirium prevention program and determine whether it decreased the incidence and duration of hospital-acquired delirium in older adults (age>50 y) admitted to the SICU.