Introduction: Joining the ICU is not exclusively a patient’s experience; it involves directly his family, in stress generator factors, confrontation strategies, fears, attitudes and expectations, families’ involvement during care and the psychologist role. Goal: To review the theoretical and empirical precedents about the family’s experience in the ICU. Methodology: 62 data base indexed articles were reviewed. Results: The ICU is an unknown place to the patient and his family, therefore this surroundings stresses the anxiety, depressive and in some cases post-traumatic stress symptoms sprout. Death is one of the main fears that the family has to endure. With the purpose to adjust themselves to the ICUs’ demands, relatives present confrontation strategies focused mainly on communication, spiritual and religious support and decision making. Care focused on family allows a better communication and treat with patient and medical staff. The role of the psychologist is hardly explored inside the ICU, but he can promote prevention and rehabilitation strategies for the patient and his relatives. Debate: It is important to take into account that death in the ICU is a possibility, some symptoms such as anxiety or depression may appear and remain for a while, to centre the care on family allows making decisions based on diagnosis and forecast, and it provides realistic expectations. Conclusions: Fears, expectations, attitudes, confrontation strategies, stress generator factors allow the explanation and comprehension of the family’s experience in the ICU.
