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Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
A pilot study on coexisting symptoms in intensive care patients
Denise T Li1, Kathleen Puntillo
1Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA. denise.li@ucsf.edu
Intensive care unit (ICU) patients experience significant levels of multiple symptoms, including pain and anxiety. Understanding these interconnected symptoms is crucial for improving patient comfort and outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Symptom Management
- Patient Experience
Background:
- Limited understanding of symptom experiences in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
- Ventilated ICU patients face numerous potential symptoms impacting their well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the perceptions of nine key symptoms in ventilated ICU patients.
- To examine the relationships and associations among these reported symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Pilot study design.
- Prospective evaluation of patient-reported symptoms using a numeric rating scale.
- Assessment of pain, dyspnea, thirst, nausea, hunger, tiredness, anxiety, discomfort, and depressed feelings.
Main Results:
- Multiple symptoms were reported at substantial levels by ICU patients.
- Evidence of significant associations among the evaluated symptoms was observed.
- Patient-reported symptom burden is a considerable factor in the ICU.
Conclusions:
- Interventions addressing multiple, interconnected symptoms are needed to enhance ICU patient comfort.
- Further research is required to validate symptom relationships and their impact on health outcomes.
- Improved symptom assessment and management strategies are essential for critical care.
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