Exploring the psychological effects of intensive care on paediatric patients: issues from the literature.
The psychological needs of children in intensive care may often be neglected in favour of a more physiological approach to nursing care. Both the short- and long-term psychological effects of paediatric intensive care require examination. There is a lack of research-based evidence on the psychological effects of intensive care on children. The intensive therapy unit (ITU) itself, developmental age, role of the family, loss of self-control/routine, under/over-use of sedation and analgesia, play, and the ITU nursing staff all have a significant psychological impact on the critically ill child. Strategies that reduce the negative psychological effects of ITU must address the above issues.
Palmer
J
J
Intensive Therapy Unit, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, Hampshire.
D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*