Effectiveness of weaning protocol for multiple injury patients in Surgery I intensive care unit, Udon Thani Hospital

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a weaning protocol for patients with multiple injuries in the Surgery I Intensive Care Unit at Udon Thani Hospital. The study involved two groups of participants: twelve registered nurses and patients with multiple injuries. The patients were divided into two groups each group comprising 30 cases: the control group participated before the implementation of the weaning protocol, and the experimental group, underwent the weaning protocol. The study utilized various tools such as work instructions, a weaning protocol for multiple injury patients, patient assessment record forms for the weaning phase, clinical outcomes record forms, and forms to assess the feasibility of implementing the weaning protocol. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Independent T-tests.

The study's findings indicated that the experimental group had a higher success rate in successfully discontinuing mechanical ventilation compared to the control group (p=0.001). In addition, the experimental group required a significantly shorter time for weaning from the ventilator compared to the control group (p=0.000). Importantly, complications were observed in the control group, with two cases experiencing urinary tract infections and three cases experiencing respiratory tract infections. On the other hand, no complications were found in the experimental group. The feasibility of implementing practice guidelines was rated at the highest level by registered nurses, receiving an average score of 4.80. Thus, it is highly recommended to consistently follow this weaning protocol in order to enhance the health outcomes of patients with multiple injuries.