Communicaton between nurses and patients in critical conditions by images

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find whether the communication between a nurse and a patient in critical condition can be improved if a communication code by means of images is used. A descriptive transversal study was done to 28 intubated conscious patients in critical condition. Those patients were from the Post-Surgical Intensive Care Unit, and the Coronary intensive Care Unit in the Hospital de Cardiología, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI. We used a code composed by 20 cards depicting several patient needs or problems. The cards were color-code in the following manner: red-pain, bluehygiene, green-comfort and tranquility, yellow-discomfort, purple-spiritual support. The study allowed us to value the understanding of each card. The global result was an 87.3% understanding of the communication code by means of images. For this reason we believe that the code is a useful option to facilitate communication with the patient in critical condition, and that it can be applied in intensive care units.