Background
Given critical care nurses’ high prepandemic levels of moral distress and burnout, the COVID-19 pandemic will most likely have a tremendous influence on intensive care unit (ICU) nurses’ mental health and continuation in the ICU workforce.
Objective
To describe the experiences of ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Methods
Nurses who worked in ICUs in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic were recruited to complete a survey from October 2020 through early January 2021 through social media and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Three open-ended questions focused on the experiences of ICU nurses during the pandemic.
Results
Of 498 nurses who completed the survey, 285 answered the open-ended questions. Nurses reported stress related to a lack of evidence-based treatment, poor patient prognosis, and lack of family presence in the ICU. Nurses perceived inadequate leadership support and inequity within the health care team. Lack of consistent community support to slow the spread of COVID-19 or recognition that COVID-19 was real increased nurses’ feelings of isolation. Nurses reported physical and emotional symptoms including exhaustion, anxiety, sleeplessness, and moral distress. Fear of contracting COVID-19 or of infecting family and friends was also prevalent.
Conclusions
Intensive care unit nurses in the United States experienced unprecedented and immense burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding these experiences provides insights into areas that must be addressed to build and sustain an ICU nurse workforce. Studies are needed to further describe nurses’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify effective resources that support ICU nurse well-being.
Nurses' attitudes impact sedation administration practices. Modifying nurses' attitudes on sedation and the experience of mechanical ventilation may be necessary to change sedation practices with mechanically ventilated patients.
Objectives
The purpose of this study was to describe the patient experience of communication during mechanical ventilation
Research Methodology
This descriptive study is a secondary analysis of data collected to study the relationship between sedation and the MV patients' recall of the ICU. Interviews, conducted after extubation, included the Intensive Care Experience Questionnaire. Data were analyzed with Spearman correlation coefficients (rs) and content analysis.
Setting
Participants were recruited from a medical-surgical intensive care unit in the Midwest United States.
Results
Participants (n=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 (rs = .43). While perceived lack of information received was associated with not feeling in control (rs =.41) and helplessness (rs =.41). Ineffective communication negatively impacted 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.
Conclusion
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.
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