Family Caregiver Psychological Experiences After an Intensive Care Unit Stay

Family caregivers of intensive care unit (ICU) patients face significant psychological challenges due to the sudden and uncertain nature of critical illness. This review synthesizes current literature on post-intensive care syndrome-family, summarizing prevalence, risk factors, assessment tools, and interventions. Caregivers frequently experience anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder, with symptoms often persisting long after patient discharge. Although interventions have been implemented across both ICU and post-ICU phases, evidence remains inconsistent and limited in scalability. The review underscores the need for standardized protocols, long-term outcome tracking, and caregiver-centered strategies to improve psychological outcomes and support caregivers throughout the critical care continuum.