Experiences of Conscious Patients Undergoing Tracheal Intubation; A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Tracheal intubation is a life-saving action in situations such as respiratory failure. However, this therapeutic approach may produce a series of side effects and physiological stress, such as pain, insomnia, anxiety, fear, etc.
 Methods: The present study is a qualitative research with a content analysis method conducted for a period of two years. This study's required information has been collected using non-structured face-to-face interviews with 22 patients hospitalized in emergency and intensive care units. The data were analyzed using open coding and MAXQDA 12.
 Results: Findings from the interviews' were divided into two main categories of mental and physical experiences. Mental experiences are divided into 12 sub-categories and physical experiences into 7 sub-categories, each of them is also divided into further categories. Inability to speak is the most frequent complaint of patients in this study. The pain was the most common physical complaint of patients, mostly due to pain in the organs and pain due to blood sampling.
 Conclusion: Despite special training of medical staff in emergency and intensive care units to take care of patients and to obviate their special needs, it is observing that some patients under certain conditions such as intubation still face many unmet needs.