Assess the level of fatigue and it’s contributing factors among mechanically Ventilated Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Fatigue is a typical complaint among hospitalized patients and is one of the most predominant and upsetting manifestations announced by critically sick patients in the emergency unit. Attendants are in an ideal situation to distinguish, analyze and assess patients who might be in danger of encountering fatigue and set up mediations as vital. Hence,  the present study aimed  to assess the level of fatigue and its contributing factors among mechanically ventilated patients in an Intensive care unit. A descriptive correlational design was employed with 60 patients. Demographic variables data were collected by using a structured interview questionnaire followed by assessing the response of the patients using patient response scale after using visual analogue scale fatigue (VAS-F). Assessed the contributing factors of fatigue such as depression anxiety and stress by using DASS-21, sleeping difficulty by using Insomnia Severity Index, pain by using Visual Analogue Pain Scale, and agitation by using Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale (RASS), the severity of illness by using the APACHE II scale. The findings of the study revealed that the level of fatigue, the most of the patients 36(60%) had moderate fatigue, 14(23.33%) had severe fatigue and 10(16.67%) had mild fatigue. Contribution factors of fatigue such as the sedation, depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia and severity of illness had shown positive correlation which was found to be statistically significant. The contributing factor pain had shown a positive correlation with fatigue which was found to be statistically significant. The present study findings described that patients in this examination with higher disease seriousness scores at ICU admission and more continuous sedation administration added to higher fatigue evaluations that expand after some time.