Implications for nursing practice indicate the significance of including focused sleep assessment of patients during admission into the ward, so strategies perceived by older patients as being able to improve sleep would be included as part of the usual ward routine and nursing practice, where possible.
Previous studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of sleep disturbance among elderly people which can exacerbate during a period of hospitalization. Whilst studies on patients' sleep experiences have largely been conducted in acute care settings, relatively little is known about the sleep experiences of elderly patients hospitalized in extended care settings. This paper aims to provide a literature review on the sleep experiences of older patients admitted into hospitals, with reference also made to studies conducted in the community in order to substantiate the existence of sleep disruptions before elderly people are admitted into hospitals. Electronic databases and specific search terms from 1980 to 2004 were used to conduct the literature search. Nurses play a crucial role in ensuring that patients get a good night's sleep and will need an in-depth understanding of older patients' sleep experiences to effectively manage different sleeping patterns and sleep needs in the clinical areas.
Abstract:Complaints of disruptive sleep are common occurrences during hospitalization of older people, with unpleasant consequences arising when disrupted sleep is left unmanaged. This aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of Chinese older patients on the causes of sleep disturbance, sleeping pattern changes and sleep remedies that could be implemented to improve sleep quality during hospitalization. Sleep diaries and interviews highlighted that a crucial role of nurses is to listen and involve older patients into identifying their own sleep problems and sleep-promoting remedies they consider to work in their favour. Through understanding the sleep problems from patients' perspectives, nurses can appreciate the significance of disrupted sleep for the person concerned and effectively design needs-based sleep interventions to manage the changing sleep patterns and sleep needs of patients in the clinical area.
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