Objective To improve transition readiness and alleviate stress of family caregivers of ICU patients, and to reduce the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) in patients. Methods Sixty critical care patients were chronologically assigned to control or intervention groups, with 30 in each. The control group was given usual health education and psychological support, whereas the intervention group received narrative education, including forming a narrative education team, making short-form videos, establishing a communication platform, etc. The intervention was implemented and monitored by a designated nurse. Results The intervention group reported significantly higher level of transition readiness and milder stress compared with the controls (both P<0.05). The incidence of PTSD in patients in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Narrative education can effectively improve family members′ readiness for transition from ICU to general ward and alleviate their relocation stress, as well as reduce the incidence of PTSD in patients.