Assessment of the level of consciousness in adult patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

Abstract

Objective: This study made it possible to analyze the level of consciousness through the Glasgow scale, of adult patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Units. Method: This is a descriptive study, with a quantitative and qualitative approach. The research was carried out in the three Intensive Care Units in a hospital in the interior of Bahia (Brazil). The study population consisted of 20 patients admitted to these units, aged 18 years or over, of both sexes, who were hospitalized in the sector for at least 24 hours and who had already performed at least three physiotherapy sessions during the period. January to October 2019. The Glasgow Coma Scale and sociodemographic questionnaire were used. Results: The results resulted from the division of two categories: I) Assessment of the level of consciousness; II) Sociodemographic data. Only three patients did not have the maximum score on the Glasgow Coma Scale (15 points). The sample consisted of 55% (n = 11) women and 45% (n = 9) men. Most patients, exactly 70%, were aged 60 years or over. As for the reasons for the individuals' admission to the ICU, respiratory (25%), heart disease (25%) and neurological (15%) were the most frequent, followed by other causes such as trauma, neoplasms and post-surgery (40%) . Conclusion: The results obtained are relevant to the planning and execution of actions in intensive care units aimed at assistance to the elderly and qualified care.