• Heather Warlan and Lois Howland.
• Heather Warlan is a nurse at the University of California San Diego Health System, and a member of the adjunct faculty, Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, University of San Diego, California.Lois Howland is an associate professor, Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, University of San Diego. hwarlan@ucsd.edu.
• Crit Care Nurse. 2015 Jun 1; 35 (3): 44-52; quiz 54.

AbstractMore patients in the intensive care unit are surviving their critical illnesses because of advances in medical care. This change in survival has led to an increased awareness of the emotional consequences of being critically ill. Posttraumatic stress disorder has been identified in approximately 9% to 27% of critically ill patients compared with 7% of the general US population. Risk factors such as treatment with mechanical ventilation, sedation, delusional memories, and agitation are associated with development of posttraumatic stress disorder in patients in the intensive care unit. Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder are more likely to experience negative physical and psychiatric health outcomes and a lower quality of life than are patients without the disorder. Early identification and treatment of patients experiencing these signs and symptoms may reduce these physical and psychological comorbid conditions. Through careful monitoring of medications, early mobilization, sleep promotion, and pain management, nurses may be able to reduce signs and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.©2015 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

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