“Not being able to talk was horrid”: A descriptive, correlational study of communication during mechanical ventilation

Abstract

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.

Visual Communication Board for Communication Compromised Patients

“…The findings of present study is in line with a study conducted by Happ MB et al 18 who found that the study subjects rated 40% of the communication sessions with nurses as somewhat difficult to extremely difficult with little to no use of assistive communication strategies. Findings of the present study is also in line with the study conducted by Guttormson JL et al 19 on mechanically ventilated study subjects to describe the patient experience of communication during mechanical ventilation. According to this study inability to communicate needs was associated with helplessness.…”

The relationship between stressors and intensive care unit experiences

“…This stressful condition is experienced more frequently than expected by nurses in ICUs . Patients describe their experience of difficulty in communication as “being in limbo,” “being disrupted,” “being imprisoned,” and “being trapped.” It has been reported that ineffective communication and loss of voice lead to feelings of anxiety, anger, fear, disappointment, weakness, and helplessness . This negatively affects care satisfaction .…”

“…Patients describe their experience of difficulty in communication as “being in limbo,” “being disrupted,” “being imprisoned,” and “being trapped.” It has been reported that ineffective communication and loss of voice lead to feelings of anxiety, anger, fear, disappointment, weakness, and helplessness . This negatively affects care satisfaction . Nurses should create and maintain an effective communication environment with patients and their families in order to improve satisfaction with intensive care and the quality of life as well…”

“…They also reported a negative relation between the mental component of the quality of life and ICU experiences and a positive relation between awareness of surroundings, recall of experiences, and satisfaction with care and ICU experiences . It has also been noted in the literature that demographic features, duration of ICU stay, mechanical ventilation, pain, and communication affect the ICU experiences of patients . However, there are insufficient data on the effect of stressors on patients' ICU experiences.…”

I Miss the Sound of Your Voice: Earlier Speech in Tracheostomy Patients*

“…Qualitative reports offer important insights from this uniquely vulnerable population including feelings of being trapped and caged, loss of personhood, and loss of control (2,3). Thus, efforts to restore verbal communication represent an important area of patient-centered investigation with the potential to meaningfully improve patient, family, and clinician experiences.…”