الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Thirst in the ICU is a common and pervasive discomfort among conscious patients who are intubated, it is usually unrecognized by the critical care staff because of the ineffective communication due to the presence of artificial airway and the high risk of aspiration. Critically ill patients are exposed to many sources of distress. They report thirst intensity as one of the most distressful symptoms. Thirst and Dry mouth are being the most neglected stressors in the intensive care unit (ICUs). During the ICU stay, the patients often report their desire to drink fluids, but most of the time it remains undocumented by critical care nurses.
There are some factors that may affect thirst severity and must be taken into account. Untreated thirst have a great impact on the patient’s health, it affects the endocrine system leading to a compromised immune system, physical and psychological health of the critically ill patient.
Conducting measures for thirst reduction are needed as we take care of the patient as a whole. One of the thirst reduction measures is called thirst reduction bundle that is applied in the current study. It is based on using cold oral swaps of sterile water, iced cold sterile water sprays and lip moisturizing containing menthol.
The aim of the study is to assess the effect of implementing thirst reduction bundle on thirst severity in tracheal intubated patients.
Materials and method: to fulfill the aim of this study a Quasi-experimental research design was used. This study was carried out at the intensive care units of the Alexandria Main University Hospital.
A convenience sample of 60 adult critically ill patients with tracheal tube and can report thirst were included in this study. The sample was divided into two groups (30 patients each); group A (control group) the patients who received the routine care of the unit for thirst reduction, group B (intervention group) the patients who received thirst reduction bundle.
Patients with tracheostomy tube and on oral feeding, patients with GCS less tha.