Distressful events in the ICU as perceived by patients recovering from coronary artery bypass surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To determine what events are perceived as most stressful to patients in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU).


METHODS
Descriptive cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-seven patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) at 48 hours after their transfer from the SICU.


METHODS
Stressful events as perceived by patients while in the SICU determined by 25 specific items on a questionnaire rated on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (no distress) to 4 (extremely distressful).


RESULTS
Two stressors, being intubated and not being able to talk, were significantly more stressful, by Newman-Keuls multiple range test, than all the other stressors. The mean stressfulness score for all other stressors was between no distress and mild distress.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall stress associated with specific events during a short stay in the SICU was minimal. Intubation and inability to communicate were the most stressful experiences.
Department of Medicine, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh.
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BE
Pennock
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L
Crawshaw
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T
Maher
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T
Price
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PD
Kaplan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003142:Communication; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007440:Intubation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires