Communicating While Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: Texting With a Smartphone

Abstract

Two young adults with severe facial injuries were receiving care in the trauma/surgical intensive care unit at a tertiary care, level I trauma center in the southeastern United States. Both patients were able to communicate by texting on their cellphones to family members, friends, and caregivers in the intensive care unit. Patients who are awake and already have experience texting with a smartphone or other electronic handheld device may be able to communicate well while receiving mechanical ventilation.

Patterns of communicating care and caring in the intensive care unit

“…In the CS, the identification of the need for communication training programmes for ICU staff, especially for communicating with non-verbal patients, is consistent with the findings of other studies (Magnus & Turkington, 2006;Shiber et al, 2016).…”

“…Also, partial or complete tube cuff deflation with digital occlusion, plugging or capping of the tube, a one-way speaking valve and tracheostomy button were used. In addition, other measures were found in other studies (Flinterud & Andershed, 2015;Morris et al, 2015;Pina et al, 2020;Shiber et al, 2016;Ull et al, 2020). The use of such devices, however, is predicated on the ability of the patient to be able to use them.…”

“…There are various factors that affect communicating care and caring in ICU (Ganz, 2019;Happ et al, 2011). There are different means and measures to assist patients in communicating (Shiber et al, 2016).…”

Impact of social media interventions and tools among informal caregivers of critically ill patients after patient admission to the intensive care unit: A scoping review

“…One study was specific to mothers [ 40 ] and one study was specific to fathers [ 45 ]. Few studies reported additional perspectives from members of the clinical care team (e.g., nurses, primary care physicians) (n = 3, 10%) [ 29 , 34 , 50 ] or critical care patients (n = 3, 10%) [ 22 , 28 , 49 ]. More than half of the studies examined real-time communication platforms (e.g., FaceTime, Skype) (n = 17, 55%) [ 23 , 24 , 28 , 30 – 40 , 47 , 51 , 52 ], which accounted for many of the studies conducted with adult populations (3/7, 43%) and most of the studies conducted with neonatal or pediatric populations (14/22, 64%).…”

“…primary care physicians) (n = 3, 10%) [29,34,50] or critical care patients (n = 3, 10%) [22,28,49]. More than half of the studies examined real-time communication platforms (e.g., Face-Time, Skype) (n = 17, 55%) [23, 24, 28, 30-40, 47, 51, 52], which accounted for many of the studies conducted with adult populations (3/7, 43%) and most of the studies conducted with neonatal or pediatric populations (14/22, 64%).…”