Nursing

Leena Ouhammou
Increased Prevalence of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Critical Care Nurses
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Meredith L. Mealer
June 1st, 2006

1. Introduction, what's the topic?

2. What is the problem/research questions being tackled?
3. Why has the research question not adequately been answered?
4. How did the researcher tackle the research question?
5. What is the research that follows from the big idea?
6. What’s the key impact of the research?

Paragraph

There has been recent research regarding symptoms of PTSD in critical care nurses that work in the ICU
(intensive care unit). This research’s objective is to find out if there is an increased prevalence of PTSD
symptoms in ICU nurses, and when/how this affects them. In recent years, research regarding nurses and signs
of PTSD has lacked and not been largely focused on due to the insignificant focus on the field as a whole. This
research surveyed ICU nurses and general nurses from three different hospitals and compared their
results/answers. The survey showed that 24% of ICU nurses showed symptoms of PTSD, while only 14% of
general nurses showed symptoms of PTSD. This concludes that ICU nurses are more prone to having PTSD
compared to general nurses, and the key impact of this research states that ICU nurses are more exposed to
traumatic experiences leading to a conclusion that ICU nurses need help and care to deal with this disorder.

Reference:

Mealer, M. L., Shelton, A., Berg, B., Rothbaum, B., & Moss, M. (2007). Increased Prevalence of Post-traumatic
Stress Disorder Symptoms in Critical Care Nurses. ​American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care
Medicine,​ ​175​(7), 693-697. doi:10.1164/rccm.200606-735oc