"Not being able to talk was horrid": A descriptive, correlational study of communication during mechanical ventilation. Issue 3 (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Guttormson, Jill L.; Bremer, Karin Lindstrom; Jones, Rachel M.
• Is Part Of: Intensive and critical care nursing. Volume 31:Issue 3(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 179
• Page End: 186
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Intensive care nursing -- Periodicals; Critical Illness -- nursing -- Periodicals; Intensive Care -- Periodicals; Nursing Care -- Periodicals; Intensive care nursing; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.028
• DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2014.10.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-3397

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="abs0005"> <title id="sect0005">Summary</title> <sec> <title id="sect0010">Objectives</title> <p id="spar0005">The purpose of this <italic>study</italic> was to describe the patient experience of communication during mechanical ventilation.</p> <p id="spar0010">Research methodology: <italic>This descriptive study is a secondary analysis of data collected to study the relationship between sedation and the MV patients' recall of the ICU</italic>. Interviews, conducted after extubation, included the Intensive Care Experience Questionnaire. Data were analysed with Spearman correlation coefficients (<italic>r</italic><sub><italic>s</italic></sub>) and content analysis.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0015">Setting</title> <p id="spar0015">Participants were recruited from a medical-surgical intensive care unit in the Midwest United States.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0020">Results</title> <p id="spar0020">Participants (<italic>n</italic> = 31) with a mean age of 65 ± 11.9 were on the ventilator a median of 5 days. Inability to communicate needs was associated with helplessness (<italic>r</italic><sub><italic>s</italic></sub> = .43). While perceived lack of information received was associated with <italic>not feeling in control</italic> (<italic>r</italic><sub><italic>s</italic></sub> = <italic>41</italic>) <italic>and helplessness</italic> (<italic>r</italic><sub><italic>s</italic></sub> = 41). Ineffective communication impacted negatively on satisfaction with care. Participants expressed frustration with failed communication and a lack of information received. They believed receipt of information helped them cope and desired a better system of communication during mechanical ventilation.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="sect0025">Conclusion</title> <p id="spar0025">Communication effectiveness impacts patients' sense of safety and well-being during mechanical ventilation. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on the development and integration of communication strategies into critical care nursing practice.</p> </sec> </abstract>