The primary objective of the current study was to attempt to establish whether there is a need for a dysphagia training programme for nurses and speech-language therapists working with acute tracheostomised patients in critical care units in South Africa. The research design that was adopted for this project was within a mixed methods approach framework. An exploratory descriptive survey design using semi-structured face-to-face interviews was used. The final sample consisted of interviews with 20 speech-language therapists from eight different hospitals with critical care facilities and 12 nurses from four different hospitals with such facilities. Data from the close ended questions were analysed using descriptive statistics, while remaining data from open ended questions were thematically analysed and the constant comparison method was applied. The data demonstrated that all speech-language therapists and 10 out of the 12 nurses were in agreement that there was a need for a dysphagia training programme for nurses in critical care for tracheostomised patients presenting with dysphagia. An important and unexpected result of this study was that speech-language therapists themselves required additional training in this area. The data demonstrated that the majority of speech-language therapists and nurses were of the view that they had received minimal theoretical and practical hours on tracheostomy screening, assessment and management at an undergraduate level. Overall, the results of the current study suggested varied practices in the screening, assessment and management of tracheostomy and dysphagia, particularly with regard to blue dye testing, suctioning protocols and cuff inflation and deflation protocols. The research significance and implications of the study included the need to improve undergraduate training for speech-language therapists and nurses in the area of dysphagia and tracheostomy, to alert professional training bodies regarding institution of additional licensing and qualifications for speech-language therapists and nurses in the area of dysphagia and tracheostomy, and to thereby improve the situation of clinicians practising in dysphagia and tracheostomy management through the development of guidelines, protocols and position papers. An important implication of this research is that it established the need for a dysphagia training programme for both speech-language therapists and nurses in critical care in dysphagia and tracheostomy, and thereby monitoring the efficacy of this programme and measuring/monitoring the outcomes of multidisciplinary teamwork in the assessment and management of dysphagia and tracheostomy in critical care.

Thesis advisor: Dorothy Jones / A family's unique way of being, formulated through social, economic, environmental and political factors, becomes fractured during a loved one's critical illness. Family members experience burdensome physical and emotional symptoms as they transition through the marked uncertainty endemic to high acuity illness. For some, this burden results in long term psychiatric disturbances. Assessment tools and interventions have been proposed for family members experiencing a loved one's critical illness. However, ongoing suffering suggests inherent limitations within these reductionist approaches. The need for a more encompassing disciplinary perspective is suggested. Margaret Newman's (1986, 1994, 2008) theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness (HEC) and its praxis research method was employed to explore relationship based care among intensive care unit (ICU) family members and registered nurses. HEC retains person/environmental integrity through unfolding of unitary knowledge via exploration of meaning. Additionally, its holistic perspective aligns philosophically with the belief in nursing science as the study of caring in the human health experience, endorsing both the mutuality of the nurse/client relationship and pattern recognition's capacity to inspire transformational growth. The study was performed in an eighteen bed medical ICU in the northeast region of the United States. This unit's design includes an integrated critical/palliative care model. Exploration of the study's two research questions was accomplished using the practice and research components of HEC within a sample of eight family members and six registered nurses. Results demonstrated family members' capacity to achieve consciousness expansion within the context of a loved one's critical illness. Registered nurses revealed their ability to steadfastly partner with both patients and families. Repetitive elements distinguished as thematic commonalities were recognized among both family member and registered nurse participants. Additionally, thematic integration between family members and registered nurses was appreciated. HEC was found to offer unique insights into caring relationships between ICU family members and registered nurses. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

The growing older adult population, their age-related morbidities, and lifelimiting chronic illnesses increase the demand for quality yet cost-effective end of life (EOL) care. Losing a loved one creates emotional turmoil, heightened uneasiness, and EOL uncertainties for family members. Understanding the complex needs of family members and supportive actions deemed most significant to them can guide nurses to enhance EOL care, encouraging palliation and peaceful death experiences. This study used a qualitative descriptive exploratory design guided by story theory methodology to explore the dimensions of the health challenge of losing a loved one who had been in an acute care setting during the last three months of life, the approaches used to resolve this health challenge, and turning points that prompted decisions about a loved one’s care with 15 older adults residing in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Southeast Florida. Theoretical grounding for this study was Watson’s (1988, 2002) theory of human caring and Smith and Liehr’s (2014) story theory. Older adults’ stories were analyzed through theory-guided content analysis. Themes that describe the health challenge include moving from painful holding on to poignant letting go, uneasiness that permeates everyday living and precious memories, patterns of disconnect that breed discontent, and pervasive ambiguity that permeates perspectives about remaining time. Approaches to resolve this challenge include active engagement enabling exceptional care for loved ones, appreciating the rhythmic flow of everyday connecting and separating to get by, and embracing reality as situated in one’s lifelong journey. Failure to establish normalcy, coming to grips with abrupt health decline/demise, and recognition – there’s nothing more to do – were the turning points identified by CCRC residents. Older adults’ vivid recollections of losing a loved one and willingness to share EOL concerns as well as recommendations regarding support of family members who are facing this challenge serve as invaluable guidance for improving EOL care for dying patients and their family members. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The molecular mechanisms by which pregnancy malaria affects the outcome of fetal development are unknown. Megalin, which has been well studied in kidney, has high expression in the placenta from early stages to term, and is proposed to be an important factor in extensive maternofetal exchange during development of the fetus. Pregnancy malaria (PM) is characterized by inflammation in placenta and is associated with low birthweight (LBW), stillborn birth, and other pathologies. It is hypothesized that PM disturbs megalin function/expression/distribution in the brush boarder of syncytiotrophoblast which, in turn, may contribute significantly to pathology of LBW. Our studies show that the presence of infected erythrocytes in placenta at the time of delivery negatively affects protein abundance for megalin and Dab2. This is the first report associating the abundance of placental megalin system proteins with the birth weight of newborn babies, and associating PM with changes in megalin system protein abundance. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

A following study on vancomycin demonstrated the differing pharmacokinetics during the course of a septic insult, day 2 pharmacokinetics differing from day 7. / An important study showed that some septic patients with "normal" serum creatinines can have very high creatinine clearances. It follows that drugs which are renally excreted will have high clearances and illustrates why many of the above patients had low serum levels of antibiotic, a reason why some ICU patients require different dosing to ward patients. / Due to the required fluid loading and inotropic use in septic patients, creatinine clearances and drug clearances are often raised. This results in low serum concentrations at the end of a standard dosing interval. / My beta-lactam antibiotic work has repeatedly demonstrated low serum levels at the end of the standard dosing interval. In view of beta-lactam time-dependent kill characteristics we designed a continuous infusion protocol which we validated in a follow-up paper. / The inflammatory response of infections involves endothelial damage and capillary permeability. With associated fluid shifts of severe sepsis and treatment thereof, the volume of distribution (Vd) of antibiotics that distribute into the extracellular space (aminoglycosides, glycopeptides) is high. Peak serum levels for these antibiotics are therefore lower than those found in non-critically ill and in normal volunteers. It is noteworthy that this change in Vd is not apparent with drugs that have good tissue penetration (e.g. ciprofloxacin). / This thesis is a compilation of 11 of my prospectively designed studies plus extracts from 5 published reviews, focusing on pharmacokinetic (PK) aspects of antibiotics in ICU patients, all published in internationally peer-reviewed journals. / Two large PK studies on ciprofloxacin (a drug that has excellent tissue penetration) designed to address possible PK differences over time, could not demonstrate this difference in adults nor in two groups of paediatric patients where differences in body water are significant. / Two papers investigated the pharmacokinetics of amicakin in adult and paediatric patients documenting the benefit of extended interval dosing. / We automatically assume that antibiotic prescribing data, collated from healthy volunteers and not so ill patients, can be transcribed into the Intensive Care Unit. This is not so. / Jeffrey Lipman. / "April 2005." / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-03, Section: B, page: 1548. / Thesis (M.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-254). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / School code: 1307.

Engagement in rehabilitation, such as physiotherapy, is critical to enhanced outcomes from musculoskeletal injuries (MIs) and has been found to be related to psychosocial factors, including increased personal control, higher levels of autonomous-motivation and more problem-focused type coping strategies in sports populations. However, this has not been empirically studied in British military groups, despite MIs being the most common reason for medical discharge from the British armed forces. Military personnel are thought to cope with injury within the context of a 'military culture' that is not found in civilians. This study tested a concept of military culture being related to greater adherence to masculine norms; higher levels of perceived personal control and autonomous motivation; lower levels of emotion-focused coping strategies; a greater use of problem-focused coping strategies and better engagement in rehabilitation. Data from self-report questionnaires and physiotherapist ratings of engagement in rehabilitation, provided by two groups, was compared. Group one consisted of 16 serving male military personnel and group two of 22 committed sports men; all had MIs sustained within the past 6 months, for which they were having physiotherapy. The sports group were found to show statistically significant greater adherence to masculine norms, and use of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies. No significant differences were found between the groups on perceived personal control, autonomous motivation nor engagement in rehabilitation. A military culture defined by greater adherence to masculine norms; higher levels of perceived personal control and autonomous motivation and a greater use of problem-focused coping strategies has therefore not been supported by this study. However, only sufficient power was achieved for the analysis of emotional-focused coping strategies so caution must be taken when interpreting these results. Clinical and research implications are discussed with recommendations for further work with methodological lessons learnt.

A pneumonia nosocomial é uma infecção prevalente e associada com elevados custos e morbi-mortalidade. A maioria destes episódios ocorre em pacientes criticamente doentes em ventilação mecânica. Os biomarcadores, como a proteína C-reativa, tem se mostrado uteis na avaliação da evolução dos pacientes, podendo se descrever padrões de resposta associados ao sucesso da terapia antimicrobiana e ao prognostico de paciente com pneumonia associada a ventilação mecânica. Nesta tese, apresenta-se uma revisão da literatura abordando aspectos da fisiopatologia, diagnostico e manejo da pneumonia associada a ventilação mecânica. Além disso, é feita a análise do uso de biomarcadores em duas populações especificas de pacientes criticamente doentes (pacientes com doença critica cronica e pacientes idosos). Foram avaliados 405 pacientes com diagnostico clínico de pneumonia associada a ventilação mecânica. Descreve-se que pacientes com doença critica crônica apresentam episódios de pneumonia associada a ventilação mecânica com pior prognostico do que pacientes que não apresentam doença critica crônica. Entretanto, esses achados não parecem associados a um comprometimento da resposta inflamatória, uma vez que nao houve diferença significativa nem nos níveis basais, nem na evolução dos níveis de proteína C-reativa comparando episódios de pacientes com doença critica crônica com aqueles sem esta condição, sugerindo que seu uso é válido nessa população de pacientes. Ainda, descreve-se a evolução dos pacientes com pneumonia associada a ventilação mecânica de acordo com a idade. A partir dos 65 anos, parece haver um efeito da idade na mortalidade dos pacientes com PAV. No entanto, não houve alteração na resposta da PCR ou na sua cinética nas primeiras 96h quando comparamos pacientes com diferentes faixas etárias a partir de um ponto de corte de 65 anos, também sugerindo a validade do uso deste biomarcador nesta população de pacientes. Estes achados originais permitem que estudos futuros avaliem intervenções baseadas em biomarcadores em pacientes com pneumonia nosocomial levando em consideração estas populações especificas de pacientes não avaliadas previamente na literatura. / Nosocomial pneumonia is a prevalent infection associated with higher costs and worse outcomes. Most episodes occur in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients. Biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein, are useful to assess patients evolution, allowing identification of patterns associated with antimicrobial treatment success and prognosis in ventilator-associated pneumonia patients. In this thesis, a literature review is presented evaluating aspects of pathopsysiology, diagnosis and management of ventilator-associated pneumonia patients. In addition, biomarker use in two specific populations (chronic critical illness and elderly) was assessed. Four hundred and five patients with ventilator associated pneumonia clinical diagnosis were evaluated. Patients with chronic critical illness presented ventilator-associated pneumonia episodes associated with worse prognosis. However, these findings were not associated with a compromise of inflamatory response, assessed by comparison of C-reactive protein basal levels and kinetis evolution in patients with and wihtout chronic critical illness, suggesting its use remains valid in this specific population. Still, evolution of ventilator-associated pneumonia according to age is described. After 65 years old, our data suggest an effect of age on mortality in ventilator-associated pneumonia patients. However, no change in C-reactive protein basal levels, response or kinetics within 96h was found when comparing patients younger and older than 65 years old, also suggesting this biomarker usefulness in this specific population. These original findings allow that future studies assessing intervention based on biomarkers evolution in patients with nosocomial pneumonia consider these specific populations, never assessed before in literature.

Introdução: Diferentes critérios são apresentados na literatura para definir constipação, o que pode explicar a grande variabilidade de incidência desse desfecho. No Brasil, pouco se sabe sobre constipação e seus determinantes em adultos criticamente doentes. Objetivo: Avaliar a incidência e os fatores associados a constipação em adultos críticos. Método: De novembro de 2015 a setembro de 2016, foi conduzida uma coorte prospectiva de adultos que foram acompanhados desde a sua admissão no Centro de Tratamento Intensivo até sua saída. Os pacientes foram diariamente avaliados por uma equipe capacitada previamente quanto a variáveis clínicas, terapêutica instituída, características e frequência das evacuações. Constipação foi definida pela ausência de evacuação por três dias consecutivos. Para fins de análise, os dados foram censurados no décimo dia de internação. Após análise univariada, foi empregada Regressão Múltipla de Cox, na qual estabeleceu-se o número de dias até o primeiro episódio de evacuação como variável de tempo. Foi adotado método “enter” para o processamento do modelo, sendo removidas as variáveis, uma a uma, a partir do maior valor-p, durante a modelagem. O ajuste do modelo foi testado por meio do teste Omnibus. O projeto do presente estudo foi aprovado quanto aos seus aspectos éticos e metodológicos pelo Comitê de Ética da instituição sede do estudo. Resultados: Nos 157 pacientes acompanhados, a mediana de dias até a primeira evacuação foi de 4 (P25: 2 – P75: 6). A incidência de constipação foi de 75,8%. A análise univariada mostrou que pacientes constipados eram mais jovens, usaram mais sedação e apresentaram mais motivos respiratórios e pós-operatórios como causas para internação, enquanto pacientes não constipados internaram mais por motivos gastroenterológicos. O uso de drogas vasoativas, ventilação mecânica e hemodiálise foi semelhante entre constipados e não constipados. A análise multivariada, os dias de uso de docusato + bisacodil (HR: 0,79; IC95%: 0,65 – 0,96) de omeprazol ou ranitidina (HR: 0,80; IC95%: 0,73 – 0,88) e de lactulose (HR: 0,87; IC95%: 0,76 – 0,99) foram fatores independentes de proteção para constipação. Conclusão: Constipação é muito incidente em adultos críticos. Os dias de uso de medicamentos com ação no trato digestório (lactulose, docusato + bisacodil e omeprazol e/ou ranitidina) são capazes de prevenir esse desfecho. / Introduction: The literature present different criteria to define constipation, which may explain the great variability of its incidence. In Brazil, little is known about constipation and its determinants in critically ill adults. Objective: To evaluate the incidence and factors associated with constipation in critical adult patients. Method: From the November of 2015 to September 2016, a prospective cohort of critically ill adults was conducted. Patients were followed from their admission to the Intensive Care Unit until their discharge from the Intensive Care Unit or death. Trained team daily evaluated patients. Clinical variables, established therapy, characteristics and frequency of bowel movements were registered. Constipation was defined by absence of evacuation for three consecutive days. After univariate analysis, Cox Multiple Regression was used. In this analysis, the time variable was the number of days until the first evacuation episode. Enter method was used to the model processing, and the variables were removed one by one from the largest p-value during the statistical modeling. The Omnibus test was utilized to test the model adjustment. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the institution’s head office regarding its ethical and methodological aspects. Results: To the 157 patients followed up, the median number of days until the first evacuation was 4 (2 - 6). The incidence of constipation was 75.8%. Univariate analysis showed that constipated patients were younger, they used more sedation and presented more respiratory and postoperative reasons as causes for hospitalization, while non-constipated patients were more frequently admitted for gastroenterological reasons. The use of vasoactive drugs, mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy (hemodialysis) was similar in constipated and non-constipated patients. In Multivariate analysis the days of use of docusate + bisacodyl (HR0.79; CI95%: 0.65 – 0.96), omeprazole or ranitidine (HR: 0,80; CI95%: 0.73 – 0.88) and lactulose (HR: 0.87; CI95%: 0.76 – 0.99) were independent protective factors for constipation. Conclusion: Constipation has high incidence among critical adult patients. Days using drugs with a digestive tract action (lactulose, docusate + bisacodyl and omeprazole and / or ranitidine) are able to prevent this issue.

BASE TEÓRICA: O alívio da dor é um direito do ser humano. Entretanto, atualmente a dor ainda é subidentificada e subtratada nas unidades de terapia Intensiva (UTI). O consenso para manejo de dor em pacientes adultos de UTI recomenda a avaliação rotineira de dor em todos os pacientes internados. O padrão-ouro para avaliação de dor, é o autorrelato de dor. Entretanto diversos pacientes internados em UTI não conseguem reportar verbalmente a dor, por variados motivos entre eles podemos destacar o uso de ventilação mecânica ou distúrbios de consciência. Nestes casos é recomendada a avaliação de dor através de instrumentos comportamentais. Segundo consenso são recomendados o uso das escalas Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) ou o Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT), instrumentos estes que até o presente ainda não encontravam-se validados para uso no Brasil. Em suma CPOT e BPS são instrumentos compostos por 4 categorias de comportamentos de dor: expressão facial, movimentos corporais, simetria com a ventilação mecânica (paciente entubado) ou vocalização (paciente extubado) e tensão muscular. Nos estudos prévios, durante o processo de desenvolvimento e validação de ambas as escalas, a validade discriminante foi testada somente por meio de procedimentos dolorosos, procedimentos estes que podem ter efeitos fisiológicos secundários como tosse e assincronia com o ventilador. Dependendo do contexto estes comportamentos podem facilmente ser confundidos com comportamentos de dor. Assim mostra-se a importância em verificar a validade discriminante de ambas as escalas com uso de estímulo específico de vias nociceptivas de dor, como a algometria de pressão. OBJETIVOS: Traduzir, adaptar e validar as escalas CPOT e BPS para uso no Brasil. Secundariamente verificar as variáveis que predizem a pontuação das escalas CPOT e BPS após estímulo nociceptivo padronizado (por meio da algometria de pressão). MÉTODO: Estudo de coorte prospectivo, realizado em um hospital universitário da região Sul do Brasil. O processo de tradução consistiu da tradução da versão original do inglês para o português, síntese da tradução e novamente tradução (back translation) para o inglês, e após a avaliação das versões por um comitê de juízes. Duas enfermeiras treinadas para avaliação dos pacientes por meios das escalas CPOT e BPS versão para uso no Brasil, realizaram as seguintes avaliações: a) durante repouso, b) após estímulo nociceptivo padrão com uso da algometria de pressão (ENPAP) com pressão máxima de 14 kgf/cm2, c) durante mudança de decúbito, d) 15 minutos após mudança de decúbito. RESULTADOS: Foram triados 1019 pacientes, 844 excluídos por não preencherem os critérios de inclusão, 175 incluídos para avaliação e 7 excluídos durante o protocolo por necessidade de uso endovenosos de sedativo ou analgésico. O total de 168 pacientes clínico-cirúrgicos adultos e não comunicativos verbalmente internados em UTI foram incluídos no estudo. Confiabilidade interobservador de ambas escalas, durante todas as avaliações foi suportado por Kappa >0,7 entre as 2 enfermeiras, cegadas uma para a avaliação da outra. Validade discriminante suportada por pontuação maior das escalas CPOT e BPS durante ENPAP e mudança de decúbito quando comparadas ao repouso (p<0,001). Análise adicional foi realizada para verificar variáveis á predizer o escore das escalas CPOT e BPS, e foi verificado que a pontuação da Escala de Coma de Glasgow (Glasgow) é um preditor de ambas escalas, mostrando que quanto maior a pontuação do Glasgow maior a pontuação nas escalas CPOT e BPS. CONCLUSÃO: As versões para uso no Brasil das escalas CPOT e BPS mostraram boa confiabilidade e validade para uso em pacientes não comunicativos verbalmente internados nas UTIs do Brasil. Algometria de pressão, um método de estimulação específico das vias nociceptivas de dor parece ser um estímulo padronizado que melhora a avaliação da acurácia das escalas CPOT e BPS. Da mesma forma, mostra-se de importância a realização de estudos adicionais para verificar os benefícios do uso concomitante da escala de Glasgow com o CPOT e BPS, principalmente com vistas a diferenciação de pontos de corte das escalas CPOT e BPS considerando as diferenças no nível de consciência. / BACKGROUND: Pain relief is a Human right. However, currently unrelieved pain is very common in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. The clinical practice guidelines for the management of pain in adult ICU patients recommends that pain be routinely monitored in all patients. The gold standard to evaluate pain is the self-reporting of pain. However, in the ICU a lot of patients cannot report their pain, because of mechanical ventilation and disturbances in consciousness. In these cases, pain assessment is recommend with the use of behavioral pain tolls. The guideline recommends the use of the Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) or the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT), but there is a lack of translating and validating studies to use CPOT and BPS in Brazilian settings. In brief, CPOT and BPS are composed of 4 categories of distinct pain behaviors: facial expressions, body movements, synchrony with the ventilator (intubated patients) or vocalization (extubated patients) and muscle tension. The discriminant validity of both tools was tested with painful procedures, these procedures can induce other secondary physiological effects, such as coughing and asynchrony with the ventilator. Depending on the context these behaviors can easily be confused with pain behaviors. Thus, it is important to verify the discriminant validity of both scales with the use of specific stimuli of nociceptive pain pathways, such as pressure algometry. OBJECTIVE: Translate, culturally adapt, and validate a Brazilian Portuguese version of the CPOT and BPS. Secondarily to verify the variables that predict the scoring of the CPOT and BPS scales after standardized nociceptive stimuli (through pressure algometry). METHODS: A prospective cohort study, in a University hospital in the South of Brazil. The translation process consisted of an initial translation into Brazilian Portuguese, translation synthesis, back-translation into English, then an evaluation by a committee of experts. Two trained nurses used the CPOT and the BPS Brazilian Portuguese versions for the following assessments: a) rest at baseline, b) after standardized nociceptive stimulation by pressure algometry (SNSPA) with a maximum pressure of 14 kgf/cm2, c) during change of position and d) 15 minutes after change of position . RESULTS: A total of 1019 ICU patients were screened, 844 excluded, 175 patients included for assessment, seven excluded during protocol because of the requirement IV infusion of analgesic or sedative agents, and 168 medical-surgical adult non-verbal communicative intensive care unit patients were included in data analysis. Inter-rater reliability of CPOT and BPS scores during all assessments was supported by high weighted Kappa > 0.7 for all assessments between the two nurses blinded of each other’s scores. Discriminant validation was supported with higher CPOT and BPS scores during SNSPA or change of position in comparison to rest (p<0.001). An additional analysis was carried out to predict CPOT and BPS scores, and it was seen that the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was a significant predictor of both tools, as a result than higher GCS, higher were the CPOT and BPS scores. CONCLUSION: The use of the CPOT and BPS Brazilian versions showed good reliability and validity in non-verbal critically ill patients in Brazil. Pressure algometry, a specific nociceptive way of stimulation appears to be a standardized approach to improve the measurement of the accuracy of the CPOT and the BPS. Similarly, it is important to carry out studies to verify the benefits of concomitant use of the GCS with the CPOT and BPS scale, especially with a view to differentiating cut-off points of the CPOT and BPS scales for different levels of consciousness.

Inom intensivvården vårdas patienter med sviktande vitala funktioner där respiratorbehandling ofta kan vara en del av behandlingen. Invasiv respiratorbehandling leder till att patientens förmåga till verbal kommunikation upphör. Patienten befinner sig ofta i en utsatt situation där förlust av förmågan till verbal kommunikation kan leda till känslor av rädsla, oro och frustration. Patientens nedsatta kommunikationsförmåga ställer höga krav på vårdpersonalens förmåga att förmedla och tolka information.Syftet med studien är att beskriva vårdpersonalens upplevelser av att kommunicera med den vakna intuberade intensivvårdspatienten. Studien genomfördes som en kvalitativ intervjustudie med induktiv ansats. Specialistsjuksköterskor och undersköterskor på fyra olika intensivvårdsavdelningar intervjuades i fokusgrupper. Intervjumaterialet analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys som resulterade i tre huvudkategorier samt åtta underkategorier. Intervjupersonernas upplevelser återges som svårigheter och frustration, där upplevelse av att inte nå fram samt hinder för kommunikation beskrivs. Strategier för att underlätta kommunikation behandlar de förhållningssätt och tekniker som vårdpersonalen använder i sin vardag och att använda sig av kommunikation som omvårdnadshandling handlar om att skapa trygghet och förståelse. I modern intensivvård tillåts ofta patienten vara så vaken som sjukdomstillståndet tillåter. Denna förändring har resulterat i ökad arbetsbelastning för vårdpersonalen. Strukturella brister observerades relaterat till det undersökta fenomenet, men även lösningar som i framtiden skulle kunna förbättra kommunikationen med vakna intuberade patienter. Studien skulle kunna bidra till ökad medvetenhet och förståelse kopplat till de utmaningar som vårdpersonalen dagligen ställs inför relaterat till kommunikation med vakna intuberade patienter. / Program: Specialistsjuksköterskeutbildning med inriktning mot intensivvård