Abstract
Purpose
In the field of neuroscience nursing in Japan, the “sitting position without back support” (SB) has promoted earlier ambulation, improved level of consciousness, and prevented disuse syndrome in patients with disturbance of consciousness and impaired mobility. This research was conducted with the aim of examining if respiratory function improved using SB on acute patients on ventilation in ICU.
Method
The research design involved daily administration of SB to 10 participants in a controlled trial to compare respiratory function before, during, and after implementation. The measurement indexes were respiratory functions such as tidal volume and lung compliance value and the number of incidences that occurred during implementation, and tools such as APACHE II were used to measure deteriorations of physical condition. Analysis used non-parametric and parametric methods and an alpha level of 0.05 was used for all statistical tests.
Results
Tidal volume and lung compliance value during SB implementation significantly increased, compared to before and after implementation. There were no incidents such as decannulation during implementation, and APACHE II scores were seen to significantly drop after the commencement of SB until discharge from ICU. However, a decline in pulse rate and blood pressure were seen during implementation of SB (4.8%).
Conclusion
The sitting position without back support administered to acutely ill patients on a ventilator was effective in improving respiratory function. In the future, there is a need to create a nurse’s assessment guide for implementation of SB and test the SB on a larger population.