Intensive Care Units Nurses' Perceptions and Experiences of Communication with Unconscious Patients
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21245607Keywords:
nurses' communication, communication barriers, nurse-patient communication, unconscious patients, critical care nurses, patient rights, patient space, patient boundaries, inappropriate interactions, nurse-patient relationships, unconsciousness.Abstract
Unconscious patients in critical care units are compromised in their ability to communicate. It is vital that ICU nurses' communication with unconscious patients be as effective as possible to address their needs and help them in their suffering. Improving communication deepens the dignity and humanity of unconscious patients, supports families, and contributes to more ethical and holistic ICU care. The purpose of this basic qualitative study, guided by Watson’s human caring theory, was to explore the perceptions and experiences of ICU nurses of PCC with unconscious patients. Twelve ICU nurses who worked in a large metropolitan city in the central region of Saudi Arabia were included; they held a bachelor’s in nursing, had at least one year of ICU experience, and had previous experience working with unconscious patients. They were interviewed using audio recording. Thematic analysis revealed five themes which were perceived as (a) ease of workload, (b) greater control over procedures and interventions, (c) time efficiency, (d) avoiding demanding patients, and (e) avoiding bad treatment. Recommendations for future research include exploring how to provide emotional and psychological support for ICU nurses and include a more diverse group of nurses in multiple ICUs across varied geographical regions. Understanding factors affecting nurses' communication with unconscious patients will help formulate strategies to improve communication and the quality of care for unconscious patients, which affects positive social change.
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