Association between the clinical status of patients admitted to Intensive Care and the emotional state of their next of kin: a cross-sectional study

The emotional state of the next of kin is significantly associated with the clinical status of the critically ill patient. These findings highlight vulnerable subgroups and underscore the potential role of nursing professionals in the early identification of emotional distress. Such identification may facilitate the planning of targeted supportive strategies, which have been associated in the literature with an attenuated emotional burden and a potential reduction in the risk of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome-Family and long-term psychological problems.