Nursing care and management of patients' sleep during hospitalisation: A cross-sectional study

Aim: To explore and describe how patients' sleep is addressed at acute-care hospitals in Sweden with regard to nursing care, management and the development of knowledge in this area.

Background: Sleep is a basic human need and thus important for health and health maintenance. Patients describe sleeping in hospital as a stressor, and research shows that nurses tend to underestimate patients' perceived problems with sleep during hospitalisation. How do nursing staff at acute hospitals address patients' sleep and the development of knowledge in this area?

Design/method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted based on data collected through a web survey. Head nurses, registered nurses, nursing care developers and local training supervisors at 36 randomised acute-care hospitals in Sweden were invited to participate. This study was executed and reported in accordance with SQUIRE 2.0.

Results: The results of the survey (53 responses from 19 wards at 15 acute-care hospitals) showed that no policy documents exist and no current training addresses sleep during hospital stay. All participants agreed that sleep should be considered a nursing topic and that it is important for hospitalised patients.

Conclusion: Patients' sleep during hospitalisation is undermanaged at acute-care hospitals. Nurses, health care managers and organisations face challenges if they are to achieve better outcomes.

Relevance to clinical practice: This study shows that nurses do consider patients' sleep important and addressing sleep as part of nursing care. Future studies in the area should focus on what kinds of support and education are needed in the clinical context.