Experiences of Unconscious Patients

<body> <p align="center">Please upgrade your browser to take advantage of this course. </p> <p align="center"> </p> <h3 align="center"><font size="5">Course Introduction</font></h3> <hr> <p><font size="4">Most of us remember our first nursing instructor advising us to talk to our unconscious patients, telling us hearing was the "last sense to go." While most of us heeded this advice, it was difficult to do since there was no response from the patient. We never knew if what we were saying made a difference or not.</font></p> <p><font size="4">From current research we now know our instructor was right and wrong. There are definitely times unconscious patients hear, but cannot communicate this awareness. But hearing is not the last sense to go; consciousness is.</font></p> <p><font size="4">From interviews conducted with over 100 patients who had been unconscious, five states were described as having been experienced by these patients: </font></p> <blockquote> <ul> <li><font size="4">unconsciousness, </font></li> <li><font size="4">inner awareness, </font></li> <li><font size="4">perceived unconsciousness, </font></li> <li><font size="4">distorted consciousness and </font></li> <li><font size="4">exceptional/paranormal experiences. </font></li> </ul> </blockquote> <p><font size="4">Most patients reported having one of these states predominate the experience, but many reported experiencing more than one state.</font></p> </body>