Objective To construct a family communication list of ICU patients based on narrative nursing, and to establish an effective communication model between medical staff and patients, so as to improve communication efficiency.Methods A family communication list of ICU patients based on narrative nursing was constructed through literature review, expert consultation and test modification.Totally 160 family members of ICU patients were selected conveniently and divided into two groups chronologically.Eighty family members enrolled from July to December 2023 were taken as a control group, and routine communication between medical staff and patients was carried out; other 80 family members enrolled from January to May 2024 were regarded as an intervention group, and medical staff communicated with them adopting the family communication list.The scores of communication quality, disease cognition, decision participation satisfaction and family relocation stress were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention.Results After the intervention, the scores of communication quality, decision participation satisfaction, disease cognition in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and its score of family relocation stress was significantly lower than that in the control group (all P＜0.05).Conclusion Application of the family communication list of ICU patients based on narrative nursing can promote the establishment of effective communication mode between medical staff and patients, improve family members′ evaluation of communication quality and decision-making participation satisfaction, and help them adapt better.