More education on post-intensive care syndrome needed, study says

Improving nurse awareness of post-intensive care syndrome could lead to more nurses discussing the condition with patients and families to prepare them for the cognitive changes and mental health distress that can follow an intensive care stay, a study found. The study found 56% of nurses had heard the term post-intensive care syndrome compared with 97.6% of fellows and attending physicians. An estimated 36% of patients remembered discussing the condition with their provider. Giving patients and families resources could help them to anticipate the condition. The researchers used online survey data to evaluate responses from 382 ICU healthcare providers at nine institutions and 146 patients who survived critical illness to assess awareness levels of post-intensive care syndrome in both groups. CHEST published the results. (Healio article, 4/24/26)