Sleep disruption is highly prevalent among critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Previous studies have demonstrated that ICU patients frequently experience fragmented sleep, reduced deep sleep, and disruption of circadian rhythms. Poor sleep quality in the ICU has been associated with adverse outcomes, including delirium, impaired recovery, reduced patient satisfaction, and decreased overall well-being.
Multiple factors contribute to sleep disturbances in the ICU, including environmental noise, continuous light exposure, frequent nighttime nursing interventions, pain, discomfort associated with medical devices, and psychological distress. Although several non-pharmacological interventions have been evaluated individually, such as earplugs, eye masks, environmental modifications, and relaxation strategies, evidence regarding comprehensive multimodal approaches remains limited.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a multimodal sleep promotion intervention in adult postoperative ICU patients. The intervention combines individualized sleep hygiene education, use of earplugs and eye masks, environmental measures aimed at reducing noise and light exposure, and optimization of nursing care to minimize unnecessary nighttime interruptions.
This study is designed as a two-center, non-randomized controlled pilot study conducted in two adult ICUs within the same healthcare organization. One ICU will implement the multimodal sleep promotion intervention, while the second ICU will provide usual care. The study will assess patient-reported sleep quality and patient experience measures, as well as explore the influence of selected demographic and clinical characteristics on study outcomes.
The results of this pilot study will provide preliminary evidence regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of a multimodal sleep promotion strategy and will inform the design of future larger-scale controlled studies in critically ill populations.
