sleep-care guidelines for minimizing nighttime noise and care-related activities impacted the sleep quality of surgical intensive care unit

In the intensive care unit (ICU), noises, continuous lighting, and constant carerelated activities disrupt patients’ sleep. Patients also may struggle to sleep because they are in an unfamiliar environment, feel isolated, are in pain, have various tubes or other equipment to deal with, as well as just general treatment activities. Meanwhile, nurses are busy managing patients’ critical conditions and have little time to focus on their sleep needs. Yet, poor quality sleep can effect outcomes and put patients at greater risk for infection, complications, and mortality. Clearly, interventions to improve ICU patients’ sleep are needed.