Factors related to the emotional responses of intubated patients to being unable to speak

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships among the intensity of intubated patientsʹ negative emotional responses to being unable to speak and selected personal and situational variables. : Prospective correlational. G: Four intensive care units in a midwestern, university-affiliated medical center. TS: A convenience sample of 48 patients intubated for 24 or more hours, alert and oriented to person, place, and situation. E MEASURES: Emotional responses (anger and worry/fear) to being unable to speak. S: Multiple regression showed that self-esteem, severity of illness, difficulty with communication, and the number of days intubated at data collection were significantly associated with patientsʹ emotional responses. SIONS: Results from this study extend prior research and support the need for nurses to facilitate communication and to support self-esteem in patients receiving ventilatory assistance, particularly in the early days of intubation. Implications for future research are discussed.