Clinical Care Needs of Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Background: Patients with severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) need specific clinical care in various dimensions. Therefore, identifying clinical care of patients is a key factor to provide nursing care. In this regard, a nurse, as a key member of healthcare team, has the ideal position to identify and meet clinical care of patients due to the frequent and close contact with Objectives: The current study aimed at exploring the clinical care of patients with severe TBI during the stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), based on the nurses’ perspectives. Methods: The current qualitative study was conducted from November 2015 to March 2016 using the purposive sampling method and semi-structured, in-depth interview with 14 ICU nurses. The interviews were recorded and analyzed using the conventional content analysis method. Results: Data analysis revealed 3 main themes and 6 categories. Physical health maintenance and promotion theme with 2 categories of neurophysiological care needs and preventive care needs, psychosocial integrity theme with 2 categories of communication needs and appropriate therapeutic environment and spiritual management theme with 2 categories of maintaining patients’ dignity and providing spiritual care to patients. Conclusions: According to the results, patients with severe TBI had several care in physical, psychosocial, and spiritual dimensions. Therefore, healthcare teams should identify and meet such to improve the health and welfare of this group of