Sleepless nights in the ICU: The awaken family

Abstract

Having a loved-one in the ICU is a traumatic experience for family members that can lead to a cluster of psychological complications, recently defined as post-intensive care family syndrome. In a previous issue of Critical Care, Day and colleagues stressed the severe sleep disturbance and fatigue experienced by a majority of ICU patient family members. However, despite this burden being well characterised, the best preventive coping strategy remains undetermined. © 2013 BioMed Central Ltd.