Talking About Suffering in the Intensive Care Unit

We were worried: that when ICU clinicians discuss patient “suffering” with patients’ family, they are using the emotionally powerful word as a way of persuading them to withhold or withdraw life support. Was our worry justified? In this study, led by Brent Kious, we analyze how clinicians and family members used the word when meeting together to discuss the patient’s prognosis. Here is the article.