Removing Surrogates' Uncertainty to Reduce Fear and Anxiety After Cardiac Events

Removing Surrogates' Uncertainty to Reduce Fear and Anxiety After Cardiac Events (RESURFACE): A Randomized Pilot Intervention Study

The goal of this study is to test the feasibility and acceptability of an informational website to reduce uncertainty, psychological distress, and caregiver burden among close family members of cardiac arrest patients. The investigators hypothesize that participants who receive access to the website will have lower rates of uncertainty, psychological distress, and caregiver burden at 3 months post-hospital discharge compared to participants who receive usual care.

This study will be an unblinded, two-arm randomized controlled trial that enrolls up to 100 adult surrogates of living cardiac arrest patients hospitalized in the New York Presbyterian hospital system. Participants must be English- or Spanish-speaking and have a device with internet access. Participants will be randomized 2:1 to receive the informational intervention program or usual care (control).

Intervention arm participants will receive the informational intervention in three discrete packages upon study enrollment, movement to the general medical floor, and at one month post-discharge. All participants will be assessed at study enrollment, hospital discharge, and 3 months post-discharge for their illness uncertainty, psychological distress, and caregiver burden. All participants will also wear a GENEActiv sleep monitor to track their sleep for one week following hospital discharge.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years of age or older
• Surrogate of a living NewYork Presbyterian Hospital cardiac arrest patient
• English- or Spanish-speaking
• Has a working smartphone, tablet, laptop, or other device with internet access

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any medical and/or psychiatric impairment precluding them from complying with the protocol
• Non-English and non-Spanish speaking
• Lack of internet/device access
• Surrogate of an adult CA patient who passed away
• Cannot be reached for initial contact (3 unsuccessful attempts made in ICU)
• Moved to the in-patient floor before initial contact can be established