Views of Intensive Care Nurses on Determining and Meeting the Psychological Care Needs of Patients: A Qualitative Study

INTRODUCTION: Patients hospitalized in intensive care units may experience many psychological symptoms such as weakness, hopelessness, anxiety, anger, depression, sleep deprivation, sensory overload, sensory deprivation, agitation, delirium, and difficulty in adjustment. In order to prevent these psychological symptoms, it is possible to define these needs by supporting the patients and providing the necessary psychological care services by the nurses who are experts in their fields. This study was evaluate of the views of intensive care nurses on the psychological care needs of patients.
METHODS: A qualitative descriptive approach was taken in the study. Fifteen intensive care nurses were selected with reference to maximum variation sampling method from purposeful sampling method, and individual in-depth interviews were handed with a semi-structured interview form. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using the content analysis method.
RESULTS: The average age of the nurses participating in the research was 29.8; 40% of them were undergraduates and 53.3% of them worked in tertiary intensive care. Nurses have been working for an average of 7.43 years, and they have worked in intensive care for 4.36 years. As a result of analyses, it was determined that the views of intensive care nurses on patients’ psychological care needs and practice were gathered under 4 main themes. These were psychological care in intensive care, communication, patient reactions, and approach to psychological problems. In addition, sub-themes such as empathy, reassurance, support, holistic care, communication style and difficulties in communication, psychological and physiological reactions, psychological problem solving, and the quality of psychological caregivers were also reached. Eight of the 15 nurses who participated in the interview believed that the psychological care needs of intensive care patients should be met by a specialist nurse (consultation liaison psychiatric nurse).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although nurses are aware of the first- and second-level psychological care needs of patients, their knowledge levels were insufficient in practice, and the intensive pace of work, long working hours, and a stressful work environment meant that they could not meet this need. In the light of this information, specialist psychiatric nurses (consultation liaison psychiatric nurses) should be employed in intensive care units, where the psychological care of patients can be met and intensive care nurses can receive support.