Related Experiment Videos
Pediatric and neonatal intensive care hospitalization as traumatic stressor: implications for intervention
1Adult Outpatient Department, Menninger Clinic, Topeka, KS 66601-0829, USA.
Insights
Hospitalization in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units can be traumatic for families and staff. This study offers guidelines for managing and building resilience to traumatic stress symptoms in these vulnerable groups.
Area of Science:
- Psychotraumatology
- Pediatric Intensive Care
- Neonatal Intensive Care
Background:
- Parental emotional needs in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units (PICU/NICU) are well-documented.
- PICU/NICU hospitalization presents a potential traumatic stressor for families.
- Intensive care clinical staff are also susceptible to primary and secondary traumatic stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize existing literature on parental emotional needs in PICU/NICU with psycho-traumatology findings.
- To address PICU/NICU hospitalization as a potential traumatic stressor for families and staff.
- To provide guidelines for managing and enhancing resilience to traumatic stress responses.
Main Methods:
- Literature synthesis of PICU/NICU and psycho-traumatology research.
- Analysis of hospitalization as a traumatic stressor.
- Development of guidelines for stress response management and resilience building.
Main Results:
- PICU/NICU hospitalization is identified as a significant traumatic stressor.
- Both families and clinical staff are vulnerable to traumatic stress symptoms.
- Guidelines are proposed for recognizing and managing these stress responses.
Conclusions:
- Recognizing and addressing traumatic stress is crucial for families and staff in intensive care settings.
- Implementing proposed guidelines can help manage symptoms and build resilience.
- Proactive support is essential for the well-being of families and healthcare providers in PICU/NICU environments.
Abstract:
A substantial literature documents the psychological, medical, and economic benefits of attending to the emotional needs of parents whose children are hospitalized on the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Synthesizing the PICU/NICU literature with current findings from the field of psycho-traumatology, the author addresses PICU/NICU hospitalization as a potential traumatic stressor for families of hospitalized children and considers that intensive care clinical staff are vulnerable to symptoms of primary and secondary traumatic stress as well. Guidelines are offered for recognizing, managing, and increasing resiliency to the symptoms of normal traumatic stress responses in both families and intensive care staff.