We acknowledge our small sample size and
lack of power. Yet, because family members of ICU
patients may be at risk for psychological symptoms,
we think that critical care nurses can be influential
and can act as family advocates by assessing the
symptom status of patients’ family members. For
example, critical care nurses should be present during
end-of-life care conferences to ensure that the
patient’s family member understands what is occurring
and that the member’s preferences are being
respected.