EFFECTS OF NON-THERAPEUTIC MEASURES ON SLEEP QUALITY AMONG CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS, EGYPT
Nahla Shaaban Khalil - Department of Critical Care and Emergency Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Cairo University, Egypt
Marwa Fathallah Moustafa - Department of Critical Care and Emergency Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt
Zeinab Mahmoud El-Bouraei - Department of Critical Care and Emergency Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt
ABSTRACT
Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are vulnerable to sleep deprivation. Disrupted sleep in critically ill settings is accompanied by increased morbidity and mortality. Many factors can cause sleep disruption. Non- therapeutic measures such as earplugs and eye masks could be beneficial in improving the quality of sleep by creating relaxing effects. Aim of this Study: was to evaluate the effects of non-therapeutic measures such as eye masks and earplugs on sleep quality among critically ill patients. Material and Methods: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized to carry out the research study. A convenient sample of 66 critically ill patients divided equally into the study and control groups; the control group included patients who didn’t wear the earplugs or the eye masks at night during sleep, while the study group included patients who wore them at nights. The two groups continued participation in the study for at least 3 nights. Patients' demographics, factors affecting sleep quality observational checklist and Richard Campbell Sleeping Questionnaire were utilized for data collection. Results: More than two thirds of the study group patients experienced deep sleep (69.7%) versus (45. 5%) in the control group on the first night. high significant improvement in the total sleep quality among the study group compared to patients in the control group on the second and third night Conclusion: Non-therapeutic measures such as earplugs and eye masks significantly reduced the environmental stressors at night and improved the quality of sleep among critically ill patients. Recommendation: Replication of the study on a larger sample from different geographical regions of Egypt and in general ICUs is recommended. Furthermore, evidence-based care protocols or bundles for promoting sleep should be integrated to improve patients' quality of life.
