Nursing interventions in intensive care unit patients with breathing difficulties: A scoping review of the evidence

Abstract

For patients in intensive care units, long periods of bed rest and restricted physical activity can result in adverse side effects. One of the conditions many patients experience during intensive care unit stays is breathing difficulty. Here, we aimed to identify and evaluate the evidence base for nonpharmacological or nontechnical interventions targeting breathing difficulties, and to propose interventions needing further investigations. This study is reported in accordance with PRISMA for Scoping Reviews. A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane. A scoping review was undertaken using the Arksey and O’Malley framework. In all, 1190 records were found and 27 of them were included in the review. Interventions targeting breathing difficulties were chest physiotherapy, breathing techniques, inspiratory muscle training, early exercise training, position-specific optimization, and other nonpharmacological interventions. Several of the interventions showed minor beneficial effects. However, because of limitations in the studies, the findings are inconclusive and need further research.