Table 3.3.1 Open in new tab ABCD...

Table 3.3.1

ABCD critical care intervention mnemonic

Advance directive:

Check available records or reports from paramedics or family

Better symptom control:

Attend to symptoms while avoiding invasive interventions to allow time to evaluate whether more invasive interventions would achieve intended goals

Caregivers:

Provide reassurance to patient

Contextualize patient goals and recent functional and medical changes to foster reasonable discussion of medical decision-making.

Decision-making capacity:

Assess patient’s ability to reliably engage in dialogue about medical goals and interventions.

Adapted from

A	Advance directive: Check available records or reports from paramedics or family
B	Better symptom control: Attend to symptoms while avoiding invasive interventions to allow time to evaluate whether more invasive interventions would achieve intended goals
C	Caregivers: Provide reassurance to patient Contextualize patient goals and recent functional and medical changes to foster reasonable discussion of medical decision-making.
D	Decision-making capacity: Assess patient’s ability to reliably engage in dialogue about medical goals and interventions.