Patient and family satisfaction levels in the intensive care unit after elective cardiac surgery: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a preoperative patient education intervention

Lai, Veronica Ka Wai; Lee, Anna; Leung, Patricia; Chiu, Chun Hung; Ho, Ka Man; Gomersall, Charles David; Underwood, Malcolm John; Joynt, Gavin Matthew

The primary outcome is satisfaction with ICU care and decision-making process, from the perspective of the patients' family members and the patients themselves. The family satisfaction in the ICU (FS-ICU) survey 33 has been well validated in numerous studies, 4 34-36 and translated into Chinese 5 and other languages. The original, 34-item English FS-ICU 33 has been shortened to a 24-item English FS-ICU version. 36 However, the 34-item Hong Kong Chinese FS-ICU has not undergone formal psychometric validation except for face validity. 5 We used a cross-cultural adaption approach 37 to modify the 24-item English FS-ICU questionnaire, and checked for semantic and idiomatic similarities with the 34-item Hong Kong Chinese FS-ICU to establish face and content validity. Items in the patient version were semantically modified for addressing perspectives from the family to fit in with the patient's own satisfaction perceptions with the ICU experience. For example, one of the items in the family version is 'the courtesy, respect and compassion your family member was given' was modified to 'the courtesy, respect and compassion you were given' in the patient version.