Impact of prior ICU experience on ICU patient family members' psychological distress: A descriptive study

Objective: To determine if current levels of anxiety, depression and acute stress disorder symptoms differ significantly among family members of intensive-care-unit patients depending upon previous intensive care experience. Research design: This study used a prospective, descriptive study design. Setting: Family members (N = 127) from patients admitted within a 72-hour timeframe to the medical, surgical, cardiac and neurological intensive care units were recruited from waiting rooms at a medium-sized community hospital in the Southeastern United States. Main outcome measures: Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, the Acute Stress Disorder Scale and a demographic questionnaire. Results: A multivariate analysis revealed that family members of intensive-care-unit patients with a prior intensive-care experience within the past two years (n = 56) were significantly more likely to report anxiety, depression and acute stress symptoms, A = 0.92, F [4122] = 2.70, p = 0.034, partial eta(2) = 0.08, observed power = 0.74. Conclusion: Results of this study show that family members' psychological distress is higher with previous familial or personal intensive-care experience. Nurses need to assess for psychological distress in ICU family members and identify those who could benefit from additional support services provided in collaboration with multidisciplinary support professionals. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.