The Effect of Implementing Care Bundle on Prevention of Thirst Intense and Mouth Dryness among Postoperative Oncology Patients in Intensive Care Unit

Background: Thirst is an unpleasant sensation that occurs most frequently in the postoperative period. Patientsundergoing surgery and cancer treatment, in particular, are thirstier than normal patients. Thirst care bundle is a new trend used to minimize intense thirst and mouth dryness. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of implementing a carebundle on prevention of thirst intense and mouth dryness among postoperative oncology patients in the intensive care unit(ICU). Method: A quasi-experimental research design was used with a purposive sample of 102 adult postoperativeoncology patients admitted to the surgical ICU of the Damietta Cancer Institute. The eligible patients were assignedrandomly into two groups: the intervention group (patients who received the thirst care bundle) and the control group (patients who received routine care). Data were collected using two tools: a thirst intensity assessment sheet and oralcondition assessment checklist. Results: The study findings revealed that the total average thirst and total oral condition scores were statistically significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusion:Implementing the thirst bundle is an effective technique to prevent postoperative oncology patients' thirst and mouthdryness. Recommendations: In ICU, the thirst bundle should be adopted as part of the daily care for oncology patientspostoperatively.