A Novel Intervention to Reduce PTSD in the ICU

In this podcast, Timothy Amass, MD, answers our questions about his team's novel approach to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other stress-related issues for family members of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Additional Resources:

• Amass TK, Villa G, OMahony S, et al. Family care rituals in the ICU to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in family members—a multicenter, multinational, before-and-after intervention trial. Crit Care Med. 2020;48(2):176-184. https://doi.org/10.1097/ccm.0000000000004113. 
• Coats H, Bourget E, Starks H, et al. Nurses' reflections on benefits and challenges of implementing family-centered care in pediatric intensive care units. Am J Crit Care. 2018;27(1):52-58. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2018353. 
• Davidson JE, Aslakson RA, Long AC, et al. Guidelines for family-centered care in the neonatal, pediatric, and adult ICU. Crit Care Med. 2017;45(1):103-128. https://doi.org/10.1097/ccm.0000000000002169. 

Timothy Amass, MD, ScM, is an assistant professor of medicine in the Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Department at the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado in Denver, Colorado. He is also associated with the Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver.