Psychological hazards of the intensive care unit. Nursing care aspects

The intensive care unit provides a variety of psychiatric complications. Their physiologic concomitants can endanger life. The special environment of these units can be quite stressful to patients and staff. Patients in the open-heart recovery room have a high incidence of delirium thought to be related to the sleep deprivation and sensory monotony of these rooms. Suggestions are made to improve rooming and nursing procedures to reduce these hazards. A preoperative orientation will also help to reduce anxiety postoperatively. The coronary care unit has similar problems. Nurses must learn to reduce the anxiety produced by frequent emergencies and deaths. The nursing staffs in these units have special problems produced by the unique responsibilities they must assume there. The charge nurse and medical staff must make special provision to reduce tension and maintain morale.