A comparison of patients' communication-related responses during intubation and after extubation.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this exploratory pilot study was to examine patients' communication-related responses during intubation and after extubation, and to determine whether differences in patients' report of responses at these two points in time, if present, were associated with demographic and situational variables.

DESIGN

Descriptive comparative.

SETTING

Four intensive care units in a midwestern, university-affiliated medical center.

PATIENTS

Convenience sample of 29 patients intubated for 24 or more hours, alert and oriented to person, place, and setting during intubation and after extubation.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Emotional responses (anger and worry/fear) to being unable to speak, perceived difficulty with communication.

RESULTS

Paired t tests showed no significant differences over time in the mean scores of the Emotion subscales and Ease of Communication scale. However, more than 30% of subjects reported postextubation responses that were different from their earlier responses by 20% or more. Significant differences in subjects' worry/fear at being unable to speak and difficulty with communication were found in relation to history of prior intubation and total number of days intubated. Subjects varied in the number of days that they were intubated, and the number of days intubated when they first participated in the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Results provide direction for larger longitudinal prospective and retrospective studies with larger samples that examine patients' recall of their responses during intubation, especially related to communication.