Hola a tod@s, my dear friends.

Let´s focus today from the point of view of whom is lying opposite, facing up. Published in Critical Care in 2011, do echo of the article Early intra-intensive care unit psychological intervention promotes recovery from post traumatic stress disorders, anxiety and depression symptoms in critically ill patients.

The intervention of clinical psychologists from admission to ICU could help our patients to recover from stressful experience. A conclusion that seems obvious and that leads to ask… why psychologists are not a part of the team?. 30-60% of our patients suffer from this type of sequels, why not get them in value?.

As in other studies, the authors used questionnaires to assess levels of post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression and quality of life (scale HADS, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, IES-R and Quality of life EQ5D questionnaire), and conducted an observational study with a control and intervention group. In the team there were three clinical psychologists, with a guaranteed daily presence from 12 to 16 p.m and available by phone during 24 hours, with an annual cost of 30,000 euros.

Anxiety and depression levels were lower in the intervention group, and the percentage of patients who needed psychiatric medication was significantly lower in the intervention group, as well as a 41.7% compared with a 8.1% to the year’s high of UCI.

I would like to repeat: where are the psychologists?.

Happy Friday,
Gabi