Application of a Transactional Model of Stress and Coping with Critically III Patients

Critically ill patients are exposed to many physiologic and environmental stressors, which can result in deleterious physiological and psychological effects. Stress and coping within Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model is used as a basis for describing patient responses in critical care. The authors propose specific strategies to reduce stress and maximize coping in the critically ill patient.