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Learning Objective 1: Discuss the levels of anxiety, depression, and acute stress disorder symptoms in family members of ICU patients.
Learning Objective 2: Explore the effects of a web based education program about the ICU on family members' of ICU patients experiences of anxiety, depression, and acute stress.
Background: Family members of ICU patients consistently report a lack of information and knowledge about the ICU environment and ICU equipment. The multi society task for for critical care research identified the need to investigate the usefulness of interventions to quantify and treat common disturbing family symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress disorders (2012). This task force also encouraged the investigation of using technology to address these issues (2012).
Methods: This study will be a prospective, quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design with pretest and posttest. The projected sample size for this study is 126 participants with 63 participants in each group based on a power analysis with a power of 0.8 and an estimated effect size of 0.5. This study will take place in a medical/ surgical ICU. Participants will complete the following measurements before and one week after the intervention: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS), The Impact of Events Scale - Revised (IES-R). Before the intervention participants will also complete a demographic questionnaire. At posttest measurement, participants will also complete a survey about the education they received during the family member’s ICU stay. The intervention group will use an interactive web-based ICU education program about the ICU environment. Both groups will be receiving the standard education provided by healthcare providers in the ICU environment. Data will be analyzed using a multi-linear regression approach. A MONVA will be run with an f-test. If any significant difference is found within the predictor variables, a two way analysis of variance will be run.
Results: This study is still in progress.