The Effect of Environmental Stressors on Patient Experience in Medical, Surgical, and COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of environmental stressors on patients’ intensive care experiences in medical, surgical, and COVID-19 intensive care units (ICUs). The sample group consisted of 231 patients hospitalized in medical and surgical ICUs and agreed to participate in the study. The data analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics 25. The average age of the patients was 53.67 ± 13.3, 55.4% were male, 47.6% were high school graduates, and 45.5% were followed up in the COVID-19 ICU. It was also found that there was a negative and moderate degree of correlation between the Intensive Care Experience Scale (ICES) and the Intensive Care Unit Environmental Stressors Scale (ICUESS). Environmental stressors in ICUs are associated with patient experiences. It is clear that ICU stressors create a negative perception in the patient and this situation is emotionally exhausting.

Examining the perceived stress and body image in burn patients: A cross‐sectional study

“…In surgical patients, stress has devastating effects such as increased pain, impaired wound healing, and prolongation of hospital stay. [21][22][23] In our study, the patients' PSS total mean score was 26.7 ± 3.76. Long hospital stay, presence of cannula, tube and catheter, immobilisation, multiple drug use, noise and sleep problems are sources of stress in hospitalised patients.…”

“…We found a negative, strong and statistically significant correlation between perceived stress and body image ( P < 0.05). In surgical patients, stress has devastating effects such as increased pain, impaired wound healing, and prolongation of hospital stay 21‐23 . In our study, the patients' PSS total mean score was 26.7 ± 3.76.…”

“…Long hospital stay, presence of cannula, tube and catheter, immobilisation, multiple drug use, noise and sleep problems are sources of stress in hospitalised patients. The aforementioned sources of stress also create stress in burn patients 21 . Burn patients are exposed to severe effects of stress.…”

“…The aforementioned sources of stress also create stress in burn patients. 21 Burn patients are exposed to severe effects of stress. One study found the PSS mean score of burn patients as 25.4 ± 8.7, 24 which is comparable to our results.…”

Lived Experiences Among Critically Ill and Near-Death Survivors Relating to the COVID-19 Infection: A Phenomenological Study

“…There was a phenomenon relating to the unknown prognosis of the disease and environmental stressors (Gezginci et al, 2022), which suggested that the environmental stressors in the ICU were high and the patients were at risk from anxiety and depression. Bulbuloglu et al (2022) suggested that the environmental stressors created an emotionally exhausting negative perception in the patient. As a result, most patients experienced a difficult time during their isolation due to physical problems, loneliness, and separation from their families (Galehdar et al, 2020).…”