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To stay in touch – intensive care patients’ interactions with nurses during mobilisation
Author(s) -
Bunzel AnneMarie Gellert,
WeberHansen Naja,
Schantz Laursen Birgitte
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of caring sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.678
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1471-6712
pISSN - 0283-9318
DOI - 10.1111/scs.12802
Subject(s) - nursing , psychology , therapeutic touch , intensive care , medicine , intensive care medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Background Minimal sedation has made it possible to communicate and cooperate with intensive care patients and mobilisation can start earlier during their stay in the intensive care unit. Purpose To investigate the intensive care patient’s reaction and interaction to mobilisation. Method This study used focused ethnography combining observations, interviews and four scores for evaluating awareness, and pain levels were included: Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale Confusion Assessment Method For The Intensive Care Unit, Numeric Rating Scale and Critical Pain Observation Tool. Twelve patients were observed during mobilisation, with subsequent interviews of the involved nurses. Findings Nurses run the risk of overlooking the patient’s reactions, such as pain, discomfort or needs during mobilisation. Nurses use several different ways of communicating to create contact with the patients. Patients with an impaired awareness level become more aware during mobilisation. Conclusions If the nurse’s attention is focused on the technical side of caregiving, there is a risk that she might overlook the patient’s reactions and needs. If the nurse is aware of the risk of overlooking the patient’s reactions, she may plan the mobilisation to ensure that the patient gets the necessary attention and is included in the process. In that way, the patient might avoid unnecessary discomfort and maintain trust and confidence in the nurse.