The Impact of Event Scale--Revised: a quick measure of a patient's response to trauma

A person may suffer debilitating anxiety and other physical and psychological symptoms without recognizing that they're a response to a traumatic event. And older adults in particular may be reluctant to admit to experiencing such symptoms. The Impact of Event Scale--Revised (IES-R) is an easy-to-administer questionnaire used to evaluate the degree of distress a patient feels in response to trauma. It provides a structured way for a patient to communicate distress when she or he may not have the words to do so. For a free online video showing nurses using the IES-R with an older patient, go to http://links.lww.com/A316.