Stress and coping in families of patients in an intensive care unit

Objetive: Evaluates and compares phases of stress and coping of family members of patients in an ICU of a hospital in the northwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul. Method: Quantitative, analytical, descriptive, transversal, with 22 families. To collect the data was used demographic data and "Symptoms of Stress Inventory", plus an open question as to cope with the stress experienced. Results: Most are women, married, with children and low education. As the evaluation of stress, the vast majority were in middle or late phase stress and the coping strategy most frequently mentioned by relatives of the patients was "pray, ask God for help". Conclusions: Important for nurses to accept and follow the patients' families so that they feel equally cared for