The need for life-sustaining care in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) has a marked and long-standing impact on critically ill children and their family members. The psychological and cognitive sequelae, as well as the persistent functional impairment, among children who survive an episode of critical illness are now recognized as post–intensive care syndrome (PICS). The intractable states of heightened anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress often reported by family members are referred to as post–intensive care syndrome–family (PICS-F). The lingering effects of exposure to an ICU are recognized as potent contributors to the psychological morbidity of critically ill patients and their family members. Investigation of strategies that are feasible and acceptable to critical care clinicians for attenuating the damaging effects of PICS and PICS-F in PICUs has been minimal.

The authors of this EBR conducted a preliminary study to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of 3 PICS educational interventions....

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