The Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Intensive Care Unit Staff and the Common Coping Strategies Used.

Dear Editor, The medical personnel of the intensive care unit (ICU) encounter patients who are critically ill, have severe injuries, or require multiple life-sustaining interventions on a daily basis. Working in a stressful environment such as the ICU can be highly rewarding, but it may also have detrimental effects on the physiological and psychological well-being of the staff.1,2 A study by Mealer et al (2007) showed a greater prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among ICU nurses compared to general nurses while a study on ICU personnel reported that out of 144 ICU nurses who dealt with trauma and critically ill patients, 88% had suffered from intrusive symptoms, 75% from symptoms of hyperarousal, and 41% eventually developed PTSD.3 Azoulay et al (2013) showed that high burnout scores correlate with vulnerable personality, low job satisfaction, and high degree of job stress.4 We hypothesised that ICU staff may be at increased risk for developing symptoms of PTSD and other psychological disorders, and have negative coping strategies. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of PTSD symptoms among ICU staff in Singapore and to determine the common coping strategies employed.