• Kefalotse Dithole, Sambulelwe Sibanda, Mary M Moleki, and Gloria Thupayagale-Tshweneagae.
• Clinical Nurse Specialist, Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.
• Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2016 Jun 1; 13 (3): 197-206.

BackgroundMechanical ventilation is a necessary procedure for patients with a range of illnesses and conditions. Mechanical ventilation affects voice production, leaving patients unable to communicate their needs with nurses and family. The communication difficulty causes distress, frustration, and anger if not attended to.AimsThis structured review sought to identify communication challenges which exist between nurses and mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units (ICU) and hence explore possible solutions to improve these communication challenges.MethodsA electronic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO was conducted to identify relevant literature on nurse-patient communication challenges in the ICU published between January 2005 and December 2014. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved in full, reviewed, and study quality assessed.ResultsSix studies were identified for inclusion in the review. Analysis identified five core influences on communication in the ICU: patient's consciousness level, nature of nurse-patient interactions, communication methods, staff skills and perceptions, and the intensive care physical environment.Linking Evidence To ActionAn evidence-based and multifactorial communication intervention encompassing staff skills development and training, development of relevant patient materials or devices and collaborations with relevant health professionals like speech and language therapists has the potential to improve nurse-patient communication in the ICU and hence improve patient outcomes.© 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

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