As a person who has spent plenty of time in ICUs or other hospital floors in my life as a patient, I can add some more background to the mental health / delirium aspect. First, it definitely isn't just ICUs, just most common there. High stress environment, powerful medicines, poor sleep, and just sickness. Next, a fair number of patients in hospitals may already be predisposed to psychiatric conditions, or at least be mentally fragile. Some abuse substances. That adds to the whole environment, and hardens staff. I experienced hepatic encephalopathy because of liver failure, which really impacted my mental state, and at least some of the staff bundled me in with the crazies. Empathy would have gone a long way to reduce the stress for me. On the other hand, I am empathetic to them. The job is tough.
But most importantly though, given these mental stresses and challenges for vulnerable people, there is almost no psychiatric support for patients, staff, or families. That's shocking to me considering how many people experience "ICU delirium". There is almost no backup for staff to help with otherwise normal patients who, say, might think you are a monster trying to kill them.
If there was one thing I would fix, that's it. Psychiatric support on floors, helping staff ease the mental challenges of extremely vulnerable patients.
But most importantly though, given these mental stresses and challenges for vulnerable people, there is almost no psychiatric support for patients, staff, or families. That's shocking to me considering how many people experience "ICU delirium". There is almost no backup for staff to help with otherwise normal patients who, say, might think you are a monster trying to kill them.
If there was one thing I would fix, that's it. Psychiatric support on floors, helping staff ease the mental challenges of extremely vulnerable patients.