Nonverbal communication of adults with orotracheal tube

Abstract

This is a descriptive, exploratory study that aims to recognize forms of non-verbal communication between adults with orotracheal tube and the health team. The study was carried out in a cardiac intensive care unit of a hospital at the city of Santos, São Paulo.The sample was composed of 30 conscious adult patients with orotracheal tube in postoperative cardiac surgery. We performed a structured observation to obtain data regarding the patients, the surgery and the reason of the nonverbal communication. Results show that patients were mostly males aged 50 to 60 years old in postoperative bypass surgery. The most common medical diagnosis was coronary failure. Mean time of orotracheal intubation was one day. The main reason for nonverbal communication was pain and the mostly used forms of communication were kinesics (86.6%) and tacesics (46.6%). We conclude that the health team makes a great effort to establish communication with these patients and we believe that these difficulties could be minimized with preoperative meetings in which patients would advise and simulate nonverbal communication in specific situations.