Patients who can’t speak because they are critically ill now have a voice, which is fantastic.
Petra Polgarova is one of only eight successful applicants to the clinical academic internship programme which is worth £5,000 and run by Health Education East of England.
Communication has been demonstrated as the most important factor influencing satisfaction for intensive care patients. In the UK 120,000 patients were admitted to intensive care units in 2012-2013, of whom 55,000 required breathing support within the first 24 hours. Not all of these patients would have been in a clinical condition that permitted them to communicate.
Petra, who joined the Trust in 2009, will be developing the work of a pilot study which involved a small number of patients using the MyICUVoice app to communicate with clinical staff.
Using the app, on a specially adapted tablet, means critically ill patients are able to ask questions about their treatment, which before now was impossible. Patients can choose from a variety of animated emoticons to help identify their mood.
Petra, who recently completed a MSc. in Advanced Practice, said: “I’m really excited about it, it’s such a competitive programme to get into so I feel very lucky.
“I value the interaction with the patients, and hopefully in the future I will be able improve the way patients communicate using the MyICUVoice app. It’s really dynamic. Patients who can’t speak because they are critically ill now have a voice, which is fantastic.”
For her MSc Petra investigated the perception of nurses regarding the assessment of pain in sedated/unconscious critically ill patients. As a direct result of her MSc, the ICU has altered the methodology it uses to assess pain on their patients.
Petra added: “This opportunity is a great starting point for my clinical academic career addressing the key issue of communication for ICU patients.”
Petra has just finished her first week on the course studying with the University of Birmingham at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.
Image: Petra Polgarova CUH research nurse introduces MyICU Voice
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