Coping with traumatic brain injury using the preparation program among caregivers of patients in the intensive care unit.

ABSTRACT

Background: After sustaining severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), most patients suffer both physical and mental disabilities. Caregivers of those critically ill patients have to deal with crises not only from unexpected injury, but also from difficult situations in giving care to them. The preparation program (PP) which assists caregivers to cope by enhancing the participation in care during intensive episode is needed. Objective: To examine differences between mean coping scores of TBI patients’ caregivers who received the PP and those receiving the usual nursing care. Methods: A quasi-experimental research design was conducted. The sample included 40 caregivers of ICU patients with severe TBI, 20 for a control group and 20 for an experimental group, was recruited. The Preparation Program (PP) implemented in the experimental group was developed based on an extensive review of related literature. The Thai version of the Coping and Adaptation Processing Scale–Short Form (TCAP-SF) was administered before and after the training of caregivers with PP to determine their coping abiility. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and t-test. Results: Caregivers who received the PP had a higher mean of coping score (X= 98.50, SD = 8.32) than those receiving the usual care did (X= 79.55, SD = 12.20) at p <.001. Conclusion: Caregivers were able to cope better after receiving the PP. The PP facilitated them to deal with a crisis episode of a family member with TBI in the ICU by getting more participation in their care. However, the coping of caregivers after patient discharge from the ICU to ward and after returning home should be evaluated.