Bed Bath With Auditory Hypnosis on ICU Patients

Intensive care units (ICUs) are specialized units where complex life-saving treatment and care activities are performed. Due to the treatment procedures performed in these specialized units, a large number of tools/equipment/devices/cables (endotracheal tubes, monitor cables, hemodialysis machines, mechanical ventilation, etc.) are placed on critically ill patients. These treatment devices restrict the movement of patients, creating obstacles to the independent performance of basic human needs such as personal hygiene. One of the individual hygiene practices frequently applied in ICUs is bed bathing. The application of bed bathing in ICUs varies according to institutional and clinical policies. In addition to its beneficial effects such as preventing infection, accelerating blood circulation, providing comfort and relaxation, etc., bed bathing also carries the risk of having a negative effect on physiological parameters. Eliminating or minimizing this risk is one of the primary care objectives of intensive care nurses. In this regard, it is crucial that bed baths, which are considered a routine nursing activity in ICUs, are performed in accordance with specific standards and protocols. In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of certain non-pharmacological care interventions in ICUs. One such intervention is auditory suggestion. Auditory suggestion refers to messages delivered through hearing to facilitate the adoption of specific thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. This method includes music, verbal suggestion, nature sounds, and other auditory stimuli that are believed to have the potential to influence the subconscious. In recent years, auditory suggestion has been integrated into the treatment processes of critically ill patients, particularly in intensive care units. This method is applied to reduce patients' stress, control pain, and support hemodynamic stability. Research has provided strong evidence supporting the physiological and psychological effects of auditory suggestion on both adult and pediatric patients. On the other hand, maintaining the patient's physiological parameters under control and increasing their comfort level while administering bed baths in the ICU are desired outcomes of nursing care. Based on this, the study was designed as a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of bed baths administered with auditory suggestion on physiological and comfort parameters in intensive care patients. The study, which will be conducted with a total of 66 ICU patients meeting the sample selection criteria, will apply the "bed bath protocol with auditory suggestion" to the study group and routine bed baths to the control group (only once). The study data will be collected using the "Patient Information Form" and the "Physiological and Comfort Parameters Monitoring Form" (data from the form will be collected and recorded before the bath, immediately after the bath, and 30 minutes after the bath). The study data will be analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.