The communication experience of tracheostomy patients with nurses in the intensive care unit: A phenomenological study

Objectives: To describe the experience and sources of comfort and discomfort in tracheostomy patients, when they communicate with nurses in the Intensive Care Unit. Research methodology/design: Benner's interpretive phenomenology. Data were collected through: a) semi-structured interviews conducted with the patients after leaving the intensive care unit; b) participant observation; c) situated interviews with intensive care nurses. Setting: The intensive care unit of a hospital in Northern Italy. Findings: Eight patients and seven nurses were included in this study. Two main themes were identified 1) feeling powerless and frustrated due to the impossibility to use voice to communicate; 2) facing continual misunderstanding, resignation, and anger during moments of difficulty and/or communication misunderstandings. The main communication discomfort factors were: struggling with not knowing what was happening, feeling like others had given up on me, living in isolation and feeling invisible. The main comfort factors were: being with family members, feeling reassured by having a call bell nearby and nurses’ presence. Conclusions: This study highlights the important role of communication in tracheostomy patients in intensive care and how closely it is linked to all the aspects of a person's life, which cannot be underestimated as just not being able to use one's voice.