Having a close relative admitted to the critical care unit can be one of the most difficult things that we ever have to cope with. Critical illness often happens very suddenly so we have no chance to adjust to what’s happening. The whole experience can feel very unreal and many relatives describe this as like being in a dream. However bad things are, they will improve with time. The staff working on the unit are all here to try and help you cope with what’s going on.
Coping with having a relative that you cannot visit in Critical Care
JS-Final-version-Support-sheet-for-familiesDealing with Coronavirus/ Covid 19
Having a relative is on the Critical Care unit with Covid-19 is one of the most difficult experiences anyone is likely to face. This is true even though you know that there is a dedicated team of nurses, doctors and many other staff looking looking after your relative. The document below has some information from our Psychologist, John Sorensen, that may help you in coping with this.
Free-mental-health-resources-for-signpostingPsychological support
Psychological support for patients and their families is provided by Dr John Sorensen. As a Clinical Psychologist John is trained to help people understand and make sense of how they feel, think and act. Psychologists use this knowledge to help patients and their families understand and cope with the difficulties that might arise from an admission to Critical Care.
Some people may only want to meet with the Clinical Psychologist once, but others might find it helpful to meet several times during their or their relative’s admission to Critical Care. Some people might not want to meet the Clinical Psychologist at all. What is best for you or your relative is your choice, but a discussion with the Psychologist may also help you to decide what would be most helpful for you.
Spending time with a Psychologist may help you to:
- Express and explore your emotions in a safe and supportive way
- Explore ways to manage and cope with emotions you may be experiencing
- Discuss any impact the admission is having on your personal, work or family life, and how to manage this
- Think through decisions that need to be made in relation to medical treatment
The Psychologist can also help children to understand why their family member might be in Critical Care, and help them feel more comfortable about being in the environment. Children can also be helped to explore and express their emotions, either alongside another family member, or on their own depending on their age and confidence.
If you think it would be helpful to speak to the Clinical Psychologist, please let one of the doctors or nurses know. This support is on offer throughout yours or your relative’s admission to Critical Care. John may also work with other clinical psychologists from other departments in the hospital or with trainee psychologists.
NHS Guidance
There is some NHS guidance published that is aimed at coping after a major incident like a bomb or other disaster. It’s actually quite helpful advice so we have included it below:
nhs_trauma_leafletLinks to other organisations that can provide advice.
Basic (Brain and Spinal Injuries Charity) Is a local charity based in Salford that helps patients and their families recovering from brain and spinal injuries. Click here to link to their website.
ICUsteps was founded in 2005 by ex-patients, their relatives and ICU staff to support patients and their families through the long road to recovery from critical illness. Click here to link to their website
Headway is a charity that supports patients and their families cope with brain injury. Click here to link to their website
Critical Care Recovery is a collaboration between different critical care units in Scotland. They have produced a large amount of material for critical care patients and their relatives, including videos of patients telling us their experiences. On opening the site you will be prompted to link to an ICU in Scotland. Just select ‘No thanks, Just Proceed’. Click here to link to their website
Brake is a charity that supports people involved in road traffic accidents. The information is most relevant to families of patients who have died following an accident but there is also some information about intensive care and recovery from injuries. Click here to link to the relevant parts of their website