Interventions to Support Psychological Health Outcomes for Children and Families Experiencing Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Admission: A Scoping Review.
Grace Scott, Leigh M Dunn, Belinda Dow and 3 others
PMID 40420489WHAT IT FOUND
PICU family support evidence is thin: 10 small studies, many were information or psychoeducation, some reported lower parent anxiety or stress; no intensive clinical interventions were identified.
Key findings
01Ten studies involving 621 participants met the review criteria, published between 1997 and 2024.
02Nine studies reported universal interventions before, during or after PICU, one targeted parent intervention was found, and no intensive clinical interventions were identified.
03Nurse-led education and a transfer-preparation letter with verbal explanation were reported to reduce parent anxiety, while expressive writing did not reduce stress during PICU stay.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 10 studies involving 621 participants were included, so the evidence base is small. Many included studies were pilots or small samples, which limits confidence in any effect. The studies differed too much in populations, timing, interventions and outcomes to compare directly. No intensive clinical interventions were identified, so the review does not show what to do for families with severe or persistent distress. Most interventions focused on parents, especially mothers, and few child-specific interventions were available, particularly for children under five. Outcomes were often parent-reported, and some studies had high attrition or limited generalisability.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that PICU families should receive nurse-led education or psychoeducation because it has been proven to prevent PTSD. The review found only 10 small studies, no intensive clinical interventions, and many outcomes were short-term or parent-reported.