Construction of Thirst Intervention Program for Awake Patients With Transoral Tracheal Intubation in ICU: A Mixed-Method Study.

Background: Thirst is a common symptom of severe discomfort in awake patients with transoral tracheal intubation in the intensive care units (ICUs), which affects their physical and mental health. Due to the presence of transoral tracheal intubation, patients are unable to express their thirst needs in a timely manner through words, and nurses are prone to ignore their thirst symptoms. At present, there is a lack of systematic intervention protocols for managing thirst symptoms in awake patients undergoing transoral tracheal intubation in the ICU. Therefore, there is an urgent need to construct systematic intervention protocols for this group of patients. Design: A stepwise multimethod study was conducted. The intervention protocol was developed through qualitative research, evidence synthesis, and the Delphi method. Methods: Guided by symptom management theory, first, qualitative research methods were used to explore patients' thirst experience and nursing needs. Second, evidence-based methods were used to summarize the best evidence for thirst intervention in patients. Based on the results of qualitative research and evidence summary, a preliminary intervention protocol was formed. Finally, the Delphi method was used to consult 21 experts, soliciting their opinions and revising the protocol accordingly to form the final version. Results: The expert enthusiasm of the two rounds of expert consultation was 95.45% and 100%, respectively, the expert authority coefficient was 0.89, the Kendall harmony coefficient of item importance was 0.442 and 0.581, and the Kendall harmony coefficient of item feasibility was 0.363 and 0.509, respectively (p < 0.001). A final draft, including three aspects of thirst assessment, intervention strategies, and effectiveness evaluation, was developed. Conclusion: The thirst intervention program for awake patients with transoral tracheal intubation in ICU constructed in this study demonstrates sound scientific validity and can provide effective guidance for addressing patients' thirst symptoms while improving oral moisture and comfort levels.