RESUMO
This study examined family satisfaction with end-of-life care in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) before and after a palliative care intervention was implemented there. This intervention consisted of early communication, family meetings, and psychosocial support. Family members of patients who died in the MICU in 2005 and 2006 were contacted 2 to 16 months after the death of their relatives. Trained interviewers used the Family Satisfaction with Care Questionnaire to assess the families' perceptions of the care given to their family members. Minorities comprised 77% of the patient population. Comparison of the levels of family satisfaction in the preintervention and postintervention groups demonstrated that the intervention significantly improved the quality of end-of-life care, particularly through increases in family members' satisfaction with decision making, communication with physicians and nurses, and the death and dying process.