ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the dignity of adults undergoing acute and critical care and highlights the care activities, treatments, procedures and processes in these settings that may undermine dignity. Patients in acute and critical care settings are also particularly vulnerable to diminished dignity due to the health conditions that led to their hospital admission, the associated procedures and care activities, and the nature of the care environment. The chapter will specifically consider how dignity can be promoted in accident and emergency departments, intensive therapy units, and during perioperative care. Individual staff members therefore rarely see the patient's whole acute care experience, but in Box 12.1. Staff who work in acute and critical care settings need skills to rapidly build rapport with patients and relatives despite the busy workload. Acute and critical care settings generally use a lot oftechnical equipment, which may impact on caring.
