Post-Intensive Care Syndrome-Mental Health.

Intensive care unit (ICU) survivors experience longstanding psychological impairments that persist in the months to years following ICU discharge, regardless of severity of illness or extent of physical recovery. Risk factors for psychological problems following critical illness have been identified including early symptoms of acute stress. Assessment of psychological symptoms in ICU patients and survivors remains inconsistent and many do not receive appropriate psychological evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment.

Intensive care unit diaries-harmful or harmless: A systematic literature review and qualitative data synthesis.

Objective: The objective of this research was to evaluate the extent of harm for critically ill patients, family members, and healthcare professionals associated with writing and reading intensive care unit (ICU) diaries.

Review Method Used: A systematic literature review and a synthesis of qualitative data were performed. The protocol of this study has been registered in the International prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42022376393).

You are safe here: A flyer with re-orientating messages for families of patients with delirium in the intensive care unit.

Patients in delirium require trustful communication and re-orientation. We developed a flyer with positive, re-orientating suggestions for families of delirious patients in intensive care units. Suggestions include creating a safe environment, interpreting unusual behaviours positively and fostering mental resilience.

[Therapeutic healthcare professional staffing requirements in intensive care units].

Background: Therapeutic healthcare professionals in the multiprofessional intensive care unit (ICU) team are important for early mobilization, dysphagia therapy, and psychosocial care of critically ill patients.

Objective: Despite the high relevance of therapeutic healthcare professions for care in ICUs, there are no recommendations on the specific staffing of therapists in ICUs.

Results: Considering the main areas of activity of the individual professional groups and based on productivity time, a requirements analysis for staffing ICUs of different care levels with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and psychologists was performed.

[Position paper on working in the intensive care unit during pregnancy : DIVI recommendations for improving the situation of pregnant employees in the ICU].

The Maternity Protection Act is intended to protect the mother and the child from hazards, excessive demands and damage to health in the workplace, and from financial disadvantages and loss of employment. However, the objectives defined by the Maternity Protection Act-the safety and health of the pregnant employee on the one hand and the prevention of disadvantages in working life on the other-are not yet adequately achieved in the intensive care unit (ICU). Implementation of the Maternity Protection Act to the benefit of all involved parties should also be promoted in the specialist areas represented by the DIVI, in particular the work of pregnant physicians and nursing staff and other working specialists (respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychotherapists, and social workers) in the ICU.

[Position paper on working in the intensive care unit during pregnancy : DIVI recommendations for improving the situation of pregnant employees in the ICU].

The Maternity Protection Act is intended to protect the mother and the child from hazards, excessive demands and damage to health in the workplace, and from financial disadvantages and loss of employment. However, the objectives defined by the Maternity Protection Act-the safety and health of the pregnant employee on the one hand and the prevention of disadvantages in working life on the other-are not yet adequately achieved in the intensive care unit (ICU). Implementation of the Maternity Protection Act to the benefit of all involved parties should also be promoted in the specialist areas represented by the DIVI, in particular the work of pregnant physicians and nursing staff and other working specialists (respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychotherapists, and social workers) in the ICU.

[Onboarding of young professionals in the intensive care unit : Nationwide online survey by young DIVI - an initiative of the German interdisciplinary association for intensive and emergency medicine (DIVI)].

Background: Onboarding of junior staff in the intensive care unit is vital to ensure high-quality critical care treatment. This process depends on beginner's training.

Aim: We aimed to determine structure and duration of intensive care onboarding and the job satisfaction of junior professionals in German intensive care units.

[Psychological Consequences of Intensive Care Treatment of COVID-19 in Patients and Relatives].

Objective: In this study, treatment- and disease-associated consequences of intensive care treatment of COVID-19 in patients and relatives were investigated and compared with data from the general population and sepsis patients. In addition, dyadic associations in symptoms of patients and relatives were analyzed.

Methods: In a monocentric, prospective, non-controlled observational study, patients who underwent intensive care treatment due to Covid-19 disease at Jena University Hospital between November 2020 and March 2021 and their relatives were included.

Recommendations on the structure, personal, and organization of intensive care units.

Background: Intensive care units (ICU) are central facilities of medical care in hospitals world-wide and pose a significant financial burden on the health care system.

Objectives: To provide guidance and recommendations for the requirements of (infra)structure, personal, and organization of intensive care units.

Design And Setting: Development of recommendations based on a systematic literature search and a formal consensus process from a group of multidisciplinary and multiprofessional specialists from the German Interdisciplinary Association of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI).

[DIVI-Recommendations on the infrastruture of adult intensive care units].

This document on the Structure and Equipment for Intensive Care Units of the German Association for Intensive and Emergency Care (DIVI) aims at providing guidance and recommendations for the requirements of (infra)structure, personal, and organization of intensive care units. The recommendations are based on a systematic literature search and a formal consensus process from a group of multi-disciplinary and multiprofessional specialists from the DIVI. The recommendations comprise a 3-staged level of intensive care units, a 3-staged level of care with respect to severity of illness, the staffing requirement of physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, psychologists, and other specialists.

[Children visiting intensive care units and emergency departments : Kids are welcome!].

In this white paper, key recommendations for visitation by children in intensive care units (ICU; both pediatric and adult), intermediate care units and emergency departments (ED) are presented. In ICUs and EDs in German-speaking countries, the visiting policies for children and adolescents are regulated very heterogeneously: sometimes they are allowed to visit patients without restrictions in age and time duration, sometimes this is only possible from the age of teenager on, and only for a short duration. A request from children to visit often triggers different, sometimes restrictive reactions among the staff.

[The intensive care diary-a communication tool].

Diaries in intensive care units (ICU) are mostly written by families and nurses for patients with impaired consciousness. In the diary, the development of the patients is described in plain language by daily reports. Patients can read the diary later and process their experiences and, if necessary, reframe them differently.

Sedation, sleep-promotion, and non-verbal and verbal communication techniques in critically ill intubated or tracheostomized patients: results of a survey.

Background: The aim of this survey was to describe, on a patient basis, the current practice of sedation, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic measures to promote sleep and facilitation of communication in critically ill patients oro-tracheally intubated or tracheostomized.

Methods: Cross-sectional online-survey evaluating sedation, sleep management and communication in oro-tracheally intubated (IP) or tracheostomized (TP) patients in intensive care units on a single point.

Results: Eighty-one intensive care units including 447 patients (IP: n = 320, TP: n = 127) participated.

[Psychosocial care for relatives in the ICU: framework concept].

Family-centered care is an important aspect of care in intensive care medicine. But currently there is no agreement about the implementation in intensive care units (ICUs). Specific concepts of palliative medicine and pediatrics offer a good basis, but contents have to be adapted for the field of intensive care medicine.

[The intensive care diary-a communication tool].

Diaries in intensive care units (ICU) are mostly written by families and nurses for patients with impaired consciousness. In the diary, the development of the patients is described in plain language by daily reports. Patients can read the diary later and process their experiences and, if necessary, reframe them differently.

[Psychological aspects during and after intensive care treatment of ARDS].

Approximately 10% of all patients requiring intensive care develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The COVID-19 pandemic led to an accumulation of patients with severe ARDS. The experience of this severe respiratory failure is accompanied by feelings of existential anxiety in many patients.

Use of Diaries in Intensive Care Unit Delirium Patients: German Nursing Perspectives.

Diaries are written for patients in intensive care units by staff and relatives, especially when patients experience a disorder of their consciousness, such as delirium. Diary entries are written in common language, describing the situation of the patient. The diary can be read by the patient and the family and support the coping and understanding of what happened.

[Psychotraumatological aspects in intensive care medicine].

In the context of intensive care medicine, patients, their relatives, and more infrequently members of the ICU team can be affected by potential trauma. Acute stress disorder often results. Psychological symptoms of critically ill patients should therefore be regularly screened in a standardized manner in order to be able to identify and treat patients with a high symptom burden.

[Psychotraumatological aspects in intensive care medicine].

In the context of intensive care medicine, patients, their relatives, and more infrequently members of the ICU team can be affected by potential trauma. Acute stress disorder often results. Psychological symptoms of critically ill patients should therefore be regularly screened in a standardized manner in order to be able to identify and treat patients with a high symptom burden.