Posttraumatic Growth in Intensive Care Unit Health Care Professionals After COVID-19

Did health care professionals in intensive care units (ICUs) during the COVID-19 pandemic experience posttraumatic growth (PTG)?In this cross-sectional study of 850 health care professionals conducted 4 years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing staff reported higher PTG than medical staff. Lower PTG was associated with psychological fatigue, ICU conflicts, and a decline in family-centered care, and higher PTG correlated with greater resilience and personal life changes since the pandemic.The findings suggest that resilience, rather than psychological distress, is a key driver of PTG, highlighting the need for targeted well-being and resilience-building strategies.

Corresponding Author: Élie Azoulay, MD, PhD, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris-Cité University, 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, Paris, France, INSERM UMR1342 Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis (elie.azoulay@aphp.fr).

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