Communicating With the Unresponsive Patient

Abstract

Providing patient care for the unconscious population in the intensive care unit can be very challenging. Over time, some nurses may face barriers that prevent them from providing caring behaviors, such as communication. Review of the literature found the attitude of a nurse, hospital technology, and the working environment are barriers that prevent therapeutic nurse-patient communication with a patient who is unconscious or sedated and ventilated. Becoming more knowledgeable about how communication can help and what can be done if such barriers present themselves in the hospital setting is beneficial to improving nurses' care in the intensive care unit.

Practical knowledge of experienced nurses in critical care: a qualitative study of their narratives

“…Regarding the practice The “connection” with patient in coma , the nurses in this study, like in the study by Baker [ 51 ], state that verbal communication with unconscious patients is something they do and consider important, and although they are not always sure that the patient can hear them they do it “just in case”. This statement leads us to believe that is knowledge incorporated in a shared, timid culture that knows, sometimes not completely consciously, things for which there is still not enough “scientific evidence” although different studies [ 52 , 53 ] and neuroscientists such as Owen are pointing out the possibility that people in comas can establish some degree of connection [ 54 , 55 ].…”