Developing and validating the Perioperative Thirst Discomfort Scale

Abstract

Objective: Developing and validating a scale to assess perioperative thirst discomfort. Method: A methodological research conducted in 2014 and 2015 at the surgical center of a public hospital in the north of Paraná, Brazil. The scale was developed after literature review, followed by face and content validation, and reliability assessment through its internal consistency and inter-observer equivalence. Results: Seven items make up the scale: dry mouth; dry lips; thick tongue; thick saliva; dry throat, bad taste and desire to drink water. The content validity index for attributes and items was 0.98, and the reliability index was 1 for the scale attributes and items. Internal consistency assessed by Cronbach's alpha was 0.91 and inter-rater equivalence was 1, as measured by weighted kappa coefficient. Conclusion: The Perioperative Thirst Discomfort Scale showed high content and reliability indexes.

Evaluation of the intensity and discomfort of perioperative thirst

“…[7][8][9] Thirst is considered one of the greatest stressors for patients during the IPO. 10 In an attempt to describe the amount of discomfort it causes in this period, patients use figurative speech, comparing themselves to 'a camel crossing the desert' or verbalizing that they have 'the sensation of having ingested a tube of glue.'…”

“…14 The surgical patient, when thirsty, is in an imbalanced state that is manifested by subjective signs and sensations and by attributes such as dry mouth, dry throat and the desire to drink water, among others. 2,3,8 A scale called the Perioperative Headache Discomfort Scale (PHDS) 8 was developed and validated to evaluate attributes related to thirst in the perioperative period. This scale presented high validity and reliability rates in respect to the surgical patient.…”

“…The instrument is reliable, with a weighted kappa coefficient of 1 for items and Cronbach's alpha of 0.91. 8 The PHDS evalutes the attributes: dry mouth, dry lips, thick tongue feeling, thick saliva, dry throat, bad taste in the mouth and the desire to drink water on a three-point Likert scale, which is easy to use even when the patient is recovering from anesthesia in the perioperative period. 8 Studies of thirst usually focus on the intensity but fail to identify and analyze the degree of discomfort it causes.…”

<b>Perspectiva do anestesiologista em relação à sede no pós-operatório imediato/ Anesthesiologist’s perspective regarding thirst in the immediate postoperative period<b>

“…Diante deste cenário, o GPS desenvolveu e validou a Escala de Desconforto da Sede Perioperatória (EDESP), a fim de mensurar a percepção do desconforto sentido por esses pacientes (9) . De acordo com os relatos dos anestesiologistas, a sede não é avaliada nem são tomadas condutas para seu alívio pelo simples fato de que: Na verdade, o pessoal da enfermagem quase nunca me fala que o paciente tem sede.…”

“…A intensidade não é o único indicativo da sede. Ela também pode ser identificada e mensurada por meio de seus atributos, que geram intenso desconforto: boca e garganta secas, lábios ressecados, saliva e língua grossas e gosto ruim na boca (8)(9) . Mesmo diante da clareza dessas constatações, os…”