Communicating with the unresponsive patient: a student review.

Providing patient care for the unconscious population in the intensive care unit can be very challenging. Over time, some nurses may face barriers that prevent them from providing caring behaviors, such as communication. Review of the literature found the attitude of a nurse, hospital technology, and the working environment are barriers that prevent therapeutic nurse-patient communication with a patient who is unconscious or sedated and ventilated. Becoming more knowledgeable about how communication can help and what can be done if such barriers present themselves in the hospital setting is beneficial to improving nurses' care in the intensive care unit.