Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2016
The concept of a surrogate is ill adapted to intensive care: Criteria for recognizing a reference person.
In the intensive care unit (ICU), caregivers may find it difficult to identify a suitable person in the patient's entourage to serve as a reference when there is no official surrogate. ⋯ Caregivers identify a reference person based on criteria such as knowledge of the patient's wishes, emotional bond with the patient, an adequate understanding of the clinical history, and designation as surrogate before admission.