1Critical Care Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University, Egypt
American Journal of Nursing Research.
2019,
Vol. 7 No. 1, 8-13
DOI: 10.12691/ajnr-7-1-2
Copyright © 2018 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Intessar Mohamed Ahmad. Comparison between Effect of Using Cold Water Oral Swap and Cold Saline Oral Swab to Relieve Thirst Intensity and Oral Condition of Mechanically Ventilated Patient.
American Journal of Nursing Research. 2019; 7(1):8-13. doi: 10.12691/ajnr-7-1-2.
Correspondence to: Intessar Mohamed Ahmad, Critical Care Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University, Egypt. Email:
abdelrahman.intessar@yahoo.comAbstract
Introduction: Thirst can be defined as a longing or desire to drink water, not necessarily generated by a physiological need, but also triggered by habit, taste, dry mouth or throat and the willing to consume fluids that provide a sensation of heating or cooling. In intensive care units, patients face conditions that predispose them to develop the symptom thirst. Like pain, thirst must be detected before it can be treated. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to compare between effect of using cold water oral swap and cold saline oral swab to relieve thirst intensity and oral condition among mechanically ventilated patient. Material and method: Research design: A quasi – experimental design was utilized to study the effect of using oral swap with cold water and oral swab with cold saline on thirst relief and oral condition. Setting: This study was conducted at the general ICU of Damanhour Medical Institute having 15 beds. Sample: convenient sample of 60 mechanically ventilated patients were recruited in the current. Instrument: an assessment sheet was used to collect data including the following three tools: 1- Demographic and biomedical data tool which includes age, gender and variables relevant to disease as patient's diagnosis, date of admission, length of stay and days mechanically ventilated on the study. 2- Thirst intensity scale: it is a visual analogue scale (VAS) rates intensity of thirst on a 10-cm with 0 indicating no thirst at all, and 10 indicating the worst possible thirst. The VAS scores were classified into: mild (0-3), moderate (4-6) and severe (7-10). In addition, it includes the presence of thirst (yes/No). 3- Oral condition assessment tool: it measures change of oral condition including lips, mucosa, tongue and saliva. It includes items which scored on a 3- point scale from 1to 3. Lip has 1 if it is smooth, pink and moist, 2 if it is dry or cracked and 3 if it is ulcerated. As regards tongue has 1 if it is pink and papillae present 2 if it has loss of papillae and 3 if it is blistered or cracked. In relation to mucosa has 1 if it is pink & moist, 2 if it is red or white coated 3 if it is ulcerated with or without bleeding. Regarding saliva has 1 if it is watery, 2 if it is thick and 3 if it is absent.
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