Speaking around unresponsive patients
Can they hear you?
Back from a little hiatus. Got quite busy with placement, job applications and other responsibilities - anyhoo, I am back now and I have no plans to take time off.
Intensive Care Unit
Recently just started my ICU and A&E rotation. Spent 2 days in the ICU and was around intubated patients and this reminded me of a moment last year during my neurology rotation. I had followed the consultant neurologist to the ICU to go review a patient he was asked to see. While we were there he said this to me.
" As doctors / scientists, we don’t know if someone who is intubated and unresponsive can hear us. They may be unresponsive but they could well be hearing us. So my one advice to you, is to becareful with what you say around intubated / unresponsive patients. Don’t talk about their poor prognosis right next to them, what if they can hear you? but just can’t react? “
This bit of advice has stuck around with me until today and I am sure will never leave my memory. I can only imagine being in that patient’s position and not being able to respond but maybe being able to hear and you hear someone say that there is no hope for you or someone talking about how you are just a vegetable.
Use positive language, inform them of any good news about their vitals etc, obviously don’t lie - but share positive news. I heard or read about nurses / staff who always speak and update their patients of what is going around because they ‘might’ be hearing us.
What do you think? Do you think they can hear us? Do you have any experience of a patient saying they could hear you while unresponsive?
