Critical Care Chronicles
Submitted by Katarina Sadlon, BSN RN CCRN
Tags: critical care Family Presence ICU intensive care unit support
In the high-stress, often overwhelming environment of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), patients and their families face immense physical, emotional, and psychological challenges. To help manage these experiences our Intensive Care Unit in Bergen County, NJ is working on rolling out Critical Care Chronicles, a therapeutic journalling tool designed to offer comfort, clarity, and a sense of control during a difficult time.
The goal of these journals is more than a record of medical events but to serve as a space for personal reflection, emotional processing and to record the highs and lows of a patient's ICU stay. Where ICU journals were implemented in other hospitals data collected showed it created a sense of continuity even if they missed visits to the ICU and later when the patient was at home along with improving communication, allowed for bonding and “it was a source of comfort, joy, and awe to the recipients close family and neighbors alike (Tripathy et al., 2020).
For families that come through the intensive care unit, these journals provide a place to record challenges, moments of hope and fear, and expressions of support and love. This writing process can create a sense of connection between family members and patients, even when direct communication may not be possible. It offers an emotional release and a way to preserve memories that might otherwise be lost with other stressors that are present during the stay.
As the medical community continues to focus on holistic approaches to healing, ICU journals represent a small but significant step toward supporting the mental and emotional well-being of patients and families alike. Whether used as a coping mechanism, a communication aid, or a reflection tool, these journals are helping to ensure that no one faces the ICU experience alone. Data will be collected utilizing a google sheet after a patient's ICU stay to obtain feedback.
References
- Tripathy, S., Acharya, S. P., Sahoo, A. K., Mitra, J. K., Goel, K., Ahmad, S. R., & Hansdah, U. (2020, July 23).
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) diaries and the experiences of patients families: A grounded theory approach in a lower middle-income country (LMIC) - Journal of Patient-reported outcomes. SpringerOpen. https://jpro.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41687-020-00229-2