A written record, often kept at the bedside in an ICU, in which family members, friends, and staff note down day-to-day events, observations, and messages during a patient’s critical illness. ICU diaries were developed to help survivors make sense of a period they have no memory of — filling the gaps that sedation and illness create. Reading the diary during recovery can help reduce the incidence of PTSD, anxiety, and depression in survivors. Keeping the diary is also therapeutic for co-survivors and family members, giving them a sense of involvement and purpose during a frightening time. Not every ICU offers a diary automatically — family members can ask staff whether one can be started.
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