Surgical cardiac patient characteristics and the amount of analgesics administered in the intensive care unit after extubation.

The study investigated relationships between patient characteristics (desire for control, perceived control, perceived social support, state anxiety, gender, weight and age) and the amount of analgesics administered in the intensive care unit after extubation. Subjects included surgical cardiac patients (n = 56) who were predominantly male (75%), Caucasian (89%) and had a mean age of 59 years. The findings showed significant positive relationships between the amount of analgesics administered and state anxiety and weight. Significant negative relationships were found between the amount of analgesics administered and desire for control, perceived control and age. Desire for control, age and state anxiety predicted the amount of analgesics administered. The findings provided insight into analgesic requirement and nursing actions.