Other Titles
Rapid Presentation Round
Abstract
Study Purpose/Problem Statement: This is a BSN honors student project with the oversight of a research mentor. The purpose of the study is to understand perceived sleep quality and interventions currently used to promote sleep as well as elicit barriers and identify potential solutions for promoting sleep in the critically ill from the perspective of critical care nurses and/or critical care nurse leaders.
Significance of Study: In times of illness, sleep is vital, and deprivation and disturbances weaken the immune system, which exacerbates illness and prolongs healing (Longley et al., 2018). For critically ill patients, sleep is essential for positive outcomes; however, patients in critical care settings, primarily intensive care units (ICU), often report poor sleep quality and a large amount of sleep disturbance (Longley et al., 2018). Patients’ poor sleep is related not only to the stress of critical conditions on their body, but to external factors in the ICU such as noise, light, and interruptions due to care (Dorsh et al., 2019; Longley et al., 2018). Sleep deprivation in the ICU is not only detrimental to comprehensive health, but also creates problems outside the window of critical illness (Grimm, 2020). Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to promote sleep in critical care settings include medications, earplugs, eye masks, clustering care, and music (Devlin et al., 2018; Dorsh et al., 2019). Because nurses are at the forefront of patient advocacy and implementation, it is important to gather qualitative information about current practices, barriers, and solutions to promoting sleep in critically ill patients; thus, creating a work environment conducive to positive patient outcomes.
Methods/Evaluation: Nurses with expertise in the care of the critically ill and/or leadership roles within critical care units are recruited as participants for this study. Drawing on evidence from current literature, an online survey with Likert-style questions and written response questions was developed (Dorsh et al., 2019; Liang et al., 2022). Survey information will be tabulated and responses to open-ended responses will be analyzed conventional content analysis as described by Hsieh and Shannon (2005) with two coders. The process will include: 1) immersion (reading the text repeatedly to obtain a sense of the whole); 2) coding (recording exact words for the texts that capture key concepts); 3) gathering impressions (making notes of initial impressions); and 4) generating themes (grouping codes into categories based on related concepts and identifying supportive quotes). Each coder will independently analyze the text, then collaboratively agree upon themes.
Results/Implications: Results for this institutional board approved study will be analyzed. Data analysis and implications will be completed in time for this presentation.
Discussion: Optimizing patient environments will create positive patient outcomes and promote well-being. We expect these findings to give voice to the perspective of critical care nurses related to implementing and promoting restful sleep for critically ill patients.
Notes
Reference list available in slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Sleep Quality, Critically Ill Patients, Critical Care Nurses, Intensive Care Units, Nursing Interventions
Recommended Citation
Newport, Elizabeth and Gary, Jodie C., "Examining the Perceptions of Sleep Quality in the Intensive Care Unit" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 39.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/39
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-02-13
Examining the Perceptions of Sleep Quality in the Intensive Care Unit
Washington, DC, USA
Study Purpose/Problem Statement: This is a BSN honors student project with the oversight of a research mentor. The purpose of the study is to understand perceived sleep quality and interventions currently used to promote sleep as well as elicit barriers and identify potential solutions for promoting sleep in the critically ill from the perspective of critical care nurses and/or critical care nurse leaders.
Significance of Study: In times of illness, sleep is vital, and deprivation and disturbances weaken the immune system, which exacerbates illness and prolongs healing (Longley et al., 2018). For critically ill patients, sleep is essential for positive outcomes; however, patients in critical care settings, primarily intensive care units (ICU), often report poor sleep quality and a large amount of sleep disturbance (Longley et al., 2018). Patients’ poor sleep is related not only to the stress of critical conditions on their body, but to external factors in the ICU such as noise, light, and interruptions due to care (Dorsh et al., 2019; Longley et al., 2018). Sleep deprivation in the ICU is not only detrimental to comprehensive health, but also creates problems outside the window of critical illness (Grimm, 2020). Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to promote sleep in critical care settings include medications, earplugs, eye masks, clustering care, and music (Devlin et al., 2018; Dorsh et al., 2019). Because nurses are at the forefront of patient advocacy and implementation, it is important to gather qualitative information about current practices, barriers, and solutions to promoting sleep in critically ill patients; thus, creating a work environment conducive to positive patient outcomes.
Methods/Evaluation: Nurses with expertise in the care of the critically ill and/or leadership roles within critical care units are recruited as participants for this study. Drawing on evidence from current literature, an online survey with Likert-style questions and written response questions was developed (Dorsh et al., 2019; Liang et al., 2022). Survey information will be tabulated and responses to open-ended responses will be analyzed conventional content analysis as described by Hsieh and Shannon (2005) with two coders. The process will include: 1) immersion (reading the text repeatedly to obtain a sense of the whole); 2) coding (recording exact words for the texts that capture key concepts); 3) gathering impressions (making notes of initial impressions); and 4) generating themes (grouping codes into categories based on related concepts and identifying supportive quotes). Each coder will independently analyze the text, then collaboratively agree upon themes.
Results/Implications: Results for this institutional board approved study will be analyzed. Data analysis and implications will be completed in time for this presentation.
Discussion: Optimizing patient environments will create positive patient outcomes and promote well-being. We expect these findings to give voice to the perspective of critical care nurses related to implementing and promoting restful sleep for critically ill patients.
Description
Sleep is vital to all, especially the critically ill. This undergraduate nursing student-led study aims to understand perceived sleep quality and interventions currently in use to promote sleep as well as identify barriers and elicit solutions for promoting sleep in the critically ill from the perspective of nurses.