title: The number of mechanically ventilated ICU patients meeting communication criteria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (1) Estimate the proportion of mechanically ventilated (MV) intensive care unit (ICU) patients meeting basic communication criteria who could potentially be served by assistive communication tools and speech-language consultation. (2) Compare characteristics of patients who met communication criteria with those who did not.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational cohort study in which computerized billing and medical records were screened over a 2-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six specialty ICUs across two hospitals in an academic health system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible patients were awake, alert, and responsive to verbal communication from clinicians for at least one 12-h nursing shift while receiving MV ≥ 2 consecutive days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 2671 MV patients screened, 1440 (53.9%) met basic communication criteria. The Neurological ICU had the lowest proportion of MV patients meeting communication criteria (40.82%); Trauma ICU had the highest proportion (69.97%). MV patients who did not meet basic communication criteria (n = 1231) were younger, had shorter lengths of stay and lower costs, and were more likely to die during the hospitalization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We estimate that half of MV patients in the ICU could potentially be served by assistive communication tools and speech-language consultation.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Critical and Complex Care, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, 378 Newton Hall, 1585 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, USA; University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, USA. Electronic address: happ.3@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Happ
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Seaman
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Marci L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nilsen
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sciulli
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Critical and Complex Care, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, 378 Newton Hall, 1585 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saul
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Amber E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Barnato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Artificial respiration; Communication; Intensive care unit; Nursing; Patient communication