Nursing Interventions: Effects of Coma Arousal Technique on the Clinical Outcomes of Unconscious Patients

Unconsciousness is a condition of being unaware of one’s surroundings as in sleep or of being unresponsive to stimulation. Therefore, to facilitate the recovery process, coma arousal technique has been developed. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of coma arousal technique on clinical outcomes of unconscious patients. Study design: A quasi-experimental design was utilized. Study setting: Neuro, chest and medicine intensive care units at Ain –Shams University Specialized Hospital. Study sample: The purposeful sampling of sixty patients were randomly and alternatively divided into two equal groups (study& control),30 subjects each. Tool of data collection: Demographic and clinical data Sheet, Physiological parameters adverse events assessment, Rappaport coma (RCS), Motor Activity Assessment (MAAS) and Sensory Modality Assessment and Rehabilitation Technique (SMART) were used. Results: The findings of this study revealed that the control group had a significantly higher incidence rate of physiological parameters adverse events. It is observed that 13% of patients in the study group had mild coma after application of coma arousal technique at 4th week compared with no one in the control group and at the 6th week of the study, it increased to 23% in the study group compared with only 3% in the control group. The total mean scores of SMART for the study group increased significantly post application of coma arousal technique compared to the control group throughout the study period. At the 4th and 6th week of the study, it is clear that patients’ sedation in study group was significantly in more appropriate level than control group. It was found that mean length of ICU stay and duration of mechanical ventilation was significantly shorter in the study group than in the control group. Conclusion: application of coma arousal technique had effects on improvement the level of consciousness and sensory and motor modalities associated with a decreased incidence of physiological parameters adverse events. Recommendations: This study recommended that critical care nurses should be incorporated coma arousal technique into a nurse’s daily routine in the care of unconscious patients.