Nursing Interventions to Prevent Posttraumatic Stress Disorders in People in Intensive Care: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objective: To map nursing interventions that contribute to preventing posttraumatic stress in people hospitalized in the context of intensive care.

Design: Scoping review according to the Joanne Briggs Institute methodology.

Methods: The search was carried out in the databases PubMed, CINAHL via EBSCO, Joanna Briggs Institute Database of Systematic Reviews, COCHRANE Database of Systematic Reviews, Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal, Dans Easy, and Dart-Europe. Published and unpublished studies (gray literature) were considered. This review integrates articles focused on nursing interventions that contribute to preventing posttraumatic stress in people hospitalized in intensive care in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Studies with quantitative, qualitative, or mixed designs are covered, as well as systematic reviews and guidelines. The research has 3 eligibility criteria, following the PPC mnemonic: participants (studies involving adults hospitalized in intensive care), concept (studies that address nursing interventions that prevent posttraumatic stress), and context (studies developed in any contextual settings).

Results: The present scoping review included 11 articles. Autonomous, nonpharmacologic, pharmacologic, and interdependent nursing interventions were identified, capable of contributing to prevent posttraumatic stress in people hospitalized in intensive care.

Conclusion: Identifying nursing interventions that prevent posttraumatic stress in people hospitalized in intensive care allows nurses to develop care plans that include these interventions in the context of intensive care, with a view to improving the quality of nursing care provided.

Implications for clinical practice: This scoping review demonstrated that nurses have a crucial role in the prevention of posttraumatic stress in the context of intensive care. It is intended to make nurses aware of this issue, specifically to obtain highly significant and clinically relevant results, sensitive to nursing interventions. It is hoped that this review will be the precursor of research studies, centered on evaluating the degree of effectiveness of the nursing interventions mapped in this review.