Objective ICU nurses are repeatedly exposed to work related stresses resulting in the development of psychological disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder and burnout syndrome. Resilience is a learnable multidimensional characteristic enabling one to thrive in the face of adversity. In a national survey, we sought to determine whether resilience was associated with healthier psychological profiles in intensive care unit nurses. Design Surveys were mailed to 3500 randomly selected ICU nurses across the United States and included: demographic questions, the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Measurements and Main Results Overall, 1239 of the mailed surveys were returned for a response rate of 35%, and complete data was available on a total of 744 nurses. Twenty-two percent of the intensive care unit nurses were categorized as being highly resilient. The presence of high resilience in these nurses was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder, symptoms of anxiety or depression, and burnout syndrome (<0.001 for all comparisons). In independent multivariable analyses adjusting for five potential confounding variables, the presence of resilience was independently associated with a lower prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (p < 0.001), and a lower prevalence of burnout syndrome (p < 0.001). Conclusions The presence of psychological resilience was independently associated with a lower prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder and burnout syndrome in intensive care unit nurses. Future research is needed to better understand coping mechanisms employed by highly resilient nurses and how they maintain a healthier psychological profile.

Objective-To determine whether post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and burnout syndrome (BOS) are common in nurses, and whether the co-existence of PTSD and BOS is associated with altered perceptions of work and non-work related activities.Methods-University hospital Nurses were administered four validated psychological questionnaires.Results-The response rate was 41% (332/810). Twenty two percent (73/332) had symptoms of PTSD, 18% (61/332) met diagnostic criteria for PTSD, and 86% (277/323) met criteria for BOS. Ninety eight percent (59/60) of those fulfilling diagnostic criteria for PTSD were positive for BOS. When grouped into three categories: positive for PTSD and BOS (n=59), positive for BOS and negative for PTSD (n=217), and negative for both BOS and PTSD (n=46), there were significant differences in the years of employment as a nurse (p < 0.0001), perceptions of collaborative nursing care (p = 0.006), confidence in physicians (p = 0.01), and perception that their work impacted patient outcomes (p = 0.01). Nurses with BOS and PTSD were significantly more likely to have difficulty in their life outside of the work environment when compared to those with BOS alone.Conclusions-We identified that PTSD and BOS are common in nurses and those with PTSD will almost uniformly have symptoms of BOS. Co-existence of PTSD and BOS has a dramatic effect on work and non-work related activities and perceptions.

ICU nurses have an increased prevalence of PTSD symptoms when compared with other general nurses. These results may increase awareness of these symptoms in nurses and lead to future interventions that improve their mental health and job satisfaction and help retain ICU nurses in their profession.

BackgroundThe critical nursing shortage is particularly apparent in specialty areas such as intensive care units (ICUs). Some nurses develop resilient coping strategies and adapt to stressful work experiences, mitigating the development of common maladaptive psychological symptoms. Objectives To determine if a multimodal resilience training program for ICU nurses was feasible to perform and acceptable to the study participants. Methods In a randomized and controlled 12-week intervention study, treatment and control groups completed demographic questions and measures of resilience, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and burnout syndrome before and after the intervention. The intervention included a 2-day educational workshop, written exposure sessions, eventtriggered counseling sessions, mindfulness-based stress reduction exercises, and a protocolized aerobic exercise regimen. Nurses in the intervention arm also completed satisfaction surveys for each component of the intervention. Results This mulitmodal resilience training program was feasible to conduct and acceptable to ICU nurses. Both nurses randomized to the treatment group and nurses randomized to the control group showed a significant decrease in PTSD symptom score after the intervention. Conclusions A multifaceted resilience training program for ICU nurses was both feasible and acceptable. A sufficiently powered, randomized clinical trial is needed to assess the effect of the intervention on improving individuals' level of resilience and improving psychological outcomes such as symptoms of anxiety, depression, burnout syndrome, and PTSD.

The addition of albumin to furosemide therapy in hypoproteinemic patients with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome significantly improves oxygenation, with greater net negative fluid balance and better maintenance of hemodynamic stability. Additional randomized clinical trials are necessary to examine mechanisms and determine the effect on important clinical outcomes, such as the duration of mechanical ventilation.

Highly resilient ICU nurses utilize positive coping skills and psychological characteristics that allow them to continue working in the stressful ICU environment. These characteristics and skills may be used to develop target therapies to prevent PTSD in ICU nurses.

This paper explores a method of interviewing in the workplace. It will help inform interventions to promote healthy adaptation following trauma exposure in the intensive care unit.

Objective Patients who survive admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) commonly complain of fatigue, weakness, and poor functional status. This study sought to determine the utilization of inpatient physical therapy for patients recovering from critical illness. Design Surveys were mailed to 984 physical therapists from across the United States. Each survey included questions concerning staffing and availability of physical therapists for ICU patients, and the utilization of physical therapy (PT) for six patient scenarios requiring ICU admission and mechanical ventilation. Main Results Overall 482 physical therapists completed their survey. The majority of hospitals (89%) at which the physical therapists were employed require a physician consultation to initiate PT for ICU patients. Established hospital criteria for the initiation of PT in the ICU were present at only 10% of the hospitals. Community hospitals were more likely to routinely provide PT on weekends compared to academic hospitals (p=0.03). The likelihood of routine PT involvement varied significantly with the clinical scenario (highest 87% status post cerebrovascular accident, lowest 64% chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, p<0.001). The most common types of PT that would be performed on these critically ill patients were functional mobility retraining and therapeutic exercise. The type of PT identified by the physical therapists as having the most positive impact also significantly varied according to the clinical scenario (p<0.001). Conclusions PT is commonly administered to ICU patients during the recovery from critical illness in the United States. However the frequency and type of PT significantly varies based on the type of hospital and the clinical scenario.