Communication with mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units: A concept analysis.
Marte-Marie Wallander Karlsen, Anna Holm, Monica Evelyn Kvande and 4 others
PMID 36443915WHAT IT FOUND
Mechanically ventilated ICU patients cannot speak, so bedside providers need to assess and interpret non-vocal and aided communication.
The proposed model makes communication assessment, interaction, and documentation an explicit part of care.
Key findings
01The defining difference is that mechanically ventilated patients cannot deliver vocal messages or respond vocally.
02Patients depend on providers correctly interpreting their intended messages, and they often cannot easily correct a wrong interpretation.
03The proposed model has three connected parts: systematic assessment of communication abilities, communication and interaction in practice, and documentation and evaluation of communication.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a concept analysis, not a patient study, so it does not test whether any communication method improves outcomes. The expert panel was made only of nurses, which may have narrowed the interpretation of the literature. Most sources used qualitative measures, and the authors say this may limit understanding of the phenomenon. The concepts and terms may be partial and may change over time. The search covered 1998 to 2022, so older work may have been missed. The model is preliminary and needs testing with other healthcare professionals.
Declared interests
The research received no specific grant from any public, commercial or not-for-profit funder. The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat the model or the listed communication aids as proven to improve care. This is a concept analysis, not a patient study, so it does not show that any aid or strategy works.