Need for psychological support in intensive care : A survey among members of the German Society of Medical Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine.

A high incidence of care-relevant psychological problems in critical care medicine has been reported among patients, their families and professional care givers. International guidelines give appropriate recommendations for such care. What is unclear, however, is just how the care and support are provided in day-to-day practice and, in particular, which service providers are responsible for this support. The present care situation was studied in a web-based survey (38% response rate) among all members of the German Society of Medical Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DGIIN). Most respondents reported a moderate to substantial need for psychological support of patients in intensive care and a substantial to very substantial need in the case of their family members. The need for support in the case of staff showed a relatively broad scatter in the assessment. Providers of care are mainly the members of the intensive care team themselves, while clinical pastoral counsellors in particular are also involved and, to a lesser extent, counselling or liaison services specializing in psychotherapy.

[Traumatized relatives of intensive care patients]. / Traumatisierte Angehörige von Intensivpatienten.

Relatives are not only visitors in the intensive care unit, but provide support and care for patients at the end of life, and serve as an important source of information for clinicians. They are confronted, often unexpectedly and unprepared, with life-threatening illness, death and dying and life-threatening decisions to limit therapy. Thus, they are often substantially burdened themselves and are in need of support. It is undisputed that communication with relatives can have an adaptive or also traumatic influence on the experience gained.