Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in Family: A Concept Analysis.
Jiaqi Wen, Zhenjing Hu, Ziwei Li and 3 others
PMID 41152141WHAT IT FOUND
Post-intensive care syndrome in families includes emotional, physical, cognitive, and social dysfunction in any significant supporter, not just relatives.
Symptoms start during ICU admission and persist months after discharge. Current tools miss this multidimensional burden.
Key findings
01PICS-F is defined by six attributes: inclusive family definition, symptom onset/worsening during ICU/transfer/post-discharge, and emotional, physical, cognitive, and social dysfunction.
02Symptoms persist long-term, with PTSD affecting 35% to 57% of family members six months post-discharge, and 25% experiencing moderate to severe depression at 60 days.
03Existing assessment tools fail to capture the interrelated nature of PICS-F, focusing on single domains like anxiety or sleep rather than the full syndrome.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The analysis included only studies published in English or Chinese, potentially missing data from other regions. Most included studies were from Western settings, which may not reflect the experience of families in other cultural or healthcare systems. Publication bias is possible as unpublished research and grey literature were excluded. The review synthesised existing definitions and tools but did not test the validity of a new PICS-F measurement instrument.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that screening for anxiety and depression is sufficient to identify PICS-F. The syndrome includes physical, cognitive, and social dysfunction that standard mental health scales miss, and it affects non-relatives who may be the primary caregivers.