Sleep promotion appearing in nursing documentations – a descriptive study

Abstract

Sleep is essential for health and well-being. The hospital is a challenging environment for sleeping and inpatients are at risk for insufficient and poor-quality sleep. Nurses have an important role to promote patients’ sleep and well-being. The quality of sleep should be assessed, and the activities taken should be documented accordingly. The aim of this study was to describe nursing activities of sleep promotion according to the nursing documentation. The data were collected from nursing documentations in electronic patient records of 50 + 50 patients in two central hospitals in Finland. The data were analysed using deductive content analysis. According to documentation, nurses promoted patients’ sleep in many ways. They treated sleep-disturbing symptoms, arranged a good sleeping environment and supported patients’ emotional well-being. Nurses also comprehensively observed patients’ sleep and documented it. Many sleep-promoting activities were not done intentionally to promote sleep but are known to be such according to previous studies. Nursing documentation gives a comprehensive picture of sleep promotion as part of nursing care. Sleep is assessed and various activities are in use, although not always intentionally. Nurse managers have an important role ensuring the use of evidence and that nurses have enough knowledge to promote patients’ sleep.