Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Family-witnessed Resuscitation of Emergency Department Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Family presence during emergency resuscitations is increasingly common, but the question remains whether the practice results in psychological harm to the witness. We examine whether family members who witness resuscitations have increased post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at one month following the event.

Methods

We identified family members of critically ill patients via our emergency department (ED) electronic health record. Patients were selected based on their geographic triage to an ED critical care room. Family members were called a median of one month post-event and administered the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), a 22-item validated scale that measures post-traumatic distress symptoms and correlates closely with Diagnostic and Statis

SUBMITTER: Erogul M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7514396 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature