The Effect of Cold Application Onunconscious Patients’ Physiological Parameters During Arterial Puncture

Background: Arterial puncture is a common procedure performed for unconsciouspatients in intensive care units to assess their respiratory conditions. It is usuallyassociated with pain resulting in significant physiological changes that can affect patients’recovery and progression. Pain killers are the first choice for controlling pain in intensivecare units but medications themselves have many adverse physiological effects on the body.Non-pharmacological pain management strategies have been advocated to control painand avoid the side effects of medications. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect ofthe cold application onunconscious patients’ physiological parameters during arterialpuncture. Method: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized to conduct this studyamong 86 unconscious patientsin the surgical intensive care unit of the Critical Care andConvalescence Hospital at Mansoura University in Egypt. One tool was used to collectdata for this study; unconscious patients’physiological parameters assessment tool.Results: A statistically significant improvement was noted in the participants’ heart rate,respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation post-implementation of the cold application (p < br />≤0.05). However, there were no significant changes in the participants’ systolic or diastolicblood pressure after the cold application. Conclusion:Cold application is an effectivemethod for improving unconscious patients’ physiological parameters during arterialpuncture. Hence, critical care nurses can include the cold application in the routinenursing care of arterial puncture for unconscious patients in intensive care units.