Table 2.

Stressor scores according to patient perceptions

	Stressors	CO-ICU	PO-ICU	p value
		Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD
1	Being restricted by tubes/lines	2.00 ± 1.23	2.63 ± 1.18	0.313
2	Not having the nurse introduce themselves	1.87 ± 1.43	2.27 ± 1.28	0.351
3	Feeling the nurse is in too much of a hurry	1.57 ± 1.07	2.37 ± 1.18	0.292
4	Being thirsty	0.97 ± 1.24	2.87 ± 1.43	0.346
5	Having your blood pressure taken several times a day	1.40 ± 0.96	1.47 ± 0.90	0.241
6	Having an uncomfortable bed or pillow	1.73 ± 1.53	2.33 ± 1.24	0.360
7	Hearing the telephone ring	0.53 ± 0.81	1.17 ± 1.08	0.248
8	Being frequently examined by a doctor or nurse	1.03 ± 0.18	1.43 ± 0.81	0.153
9	Having strange machines around you	1.59 ± 1.04	1.90 ± 1.02	0.267
10	Feeling the nurses are watching the machines closer than they are watching you	1.83 ± 1.20	1.77 ± 1.13	0.826
11	Hearing the buzzers and alarms from the machinery	2.03 ± 1.27	2.37 ± 1.21	0.304
12	Nurses and doctors talking too loud	1.80 ± 1.15	2.20 ± 1.06	0.169
13	Having to use oxygen	1.60 ± 1.47	1.83 ± 1.41	0.535
14	Missing your husband or wife	2.70 ± 1.53	2.67 ± 1.34	0.929
15	Not having treatments explained to you	2.47 ± 1.67	2.77 ± 1.19	0.428
16	Hearing your heart monitor alarm go off	1.53 ± 1.47	2.03 ± 1.32	0.173
17	Having nurses constantly doing things around your bed	1.13 ± 0.43	1.60 ± 0.89	0.013
18	Having tubes in your nose or mouth	1.53 ± 1.77	2.33 ± 1.62	0.495
19	Not knowing what time it is	1.97 ± 7.29	1.03 ± 1.45	0.074
20	Hearing other patients moaning	2.07 ± 1.57	2.40 ± 1.45	0.398
21	Having men and women in the same room	1.70 ± 1.57	1.30 ± 1.46	0.313
22	Only seeing family and friends for a few minutes each day	2.70 ± 1.36	2.63 ± 1.27	0.846
23	Not knowing when the medical procedures will be performed on you	2.23 ± 1.33	2.73 ± 1.23	0.136
24	Being awakened by nurses	1.47 ± 1.04	1.90 ± 1.21	0.143
25	Hearing unfamiliar sounds and noises	2.37 ± 1.35	1.70 ± 1.17	0.046
26	Watching treatments being given to other patients	1.33 ± 0.95	1.40 ± 0.96	0.790
27	Having to look at the details of the ceiling	2.20 ± 1.37	2.39 ± 1.18	0.617
28	Not being able to sleep	3.07 ± 1.23	3.20 ± 1.03	0.651
29	Not being able to move your hands or arms because of intravenous lines	2.63 ± 1.32	2.97 ± 1.03	0.282
30	Being aware of unusual smells around you	2.07 ± 1.68	2.47 ± 1.35	0.315
31	Having lights on constantly	2.67 ± 1.44	3.00 ± 1.14	0.326
32	Being in pain	3.63 ± 0.80	3.60 ± 0.67	0.863
33	Seeing intravenous bags over your head	1.40 ± 1.13	1.53 ± 1.04	0.637
34	Being stuck with needles	2.50 ± 1.19	2.83 ± 1.23	0.293
35	Not knowing where you are	2.20 ± 1.62	2.53 ± 1.43	0.403
36	Having nurses use words you cannot understand	1.87 ± 1.43	2.27 ± 1.28	0.259
37	Not being in control of yourself	3.00 ± 1.14	2.83 ± 1.20	0.585
38	Not knowing what day it is	1.40 ± 1.45	1.47 ± 1.43	0.859
39	Being bored	3.30 ± 1.08	3.10 ± 1.02	0.467
40	Having no privacy	2.73 ± 1.33	3.17 ± 1.20	0.193
41	Being cared for by unfamiliar doctors	1.57 ± 1.00	1.93 ± 1.20	0.205
42	Being in a room that is too hot or too cold	2.50 ± 1.25	3.07 ± 1.11	0.069
43	Hearing people talk about you	2.77 ± 1.27	1.87 ± 1.10	0.005
44	Not being able to communicate	2.90 ± 1.09	3.23 ± 1.07	0.238
45	Being afraid of dying	2.13 ± 1.40	2.20 ± 1.40	0.855
46	Not knowing the length of stay in the ICU	2.67 ± 1.29	2.60 ± 1.30	0.843
47	Being unable to fulfill family roles	3.37 ± 1.12	3.60 ± 0.85	0.371
48	Having financial worries	3.03 ± 1.18	2.87 ± 1.33	0.611
49	Being afraid of catching AIDS	2.77 ± 1.47	3.20 ± 1.21	0.220
50	Being pressured to consent to treatments	2.17 ± 1.31	2.13 ± 1.19	0.919

CO-ICU - coronary intensive care unit; PO-ICU - general postoperative intensive care unit; SD - standard deviation.