Redesigning nighttime care for personal care residents

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Care
• Sleep Science

Background:

• Nighttime care in personal care settings often involves disruptive routines.
• Optimizing sleep is crucial for the well-being of long-term care residents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a non-disruptive nighttime care strategy on sleep quality and skin condition in personal care home residents.
• To compare a new care plan with traditional nighttime routines.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental, single-arm design was employed with 18 residents in a long-term care facility.
• Residents experienced both the traditional routine (control) and the non-disruptive care plan (intervention).
• Outcome measures included total sleep, uninterrupted sleep, daytime sleep, self-reported restfulness, and skin condition.

Main Results:

• The non-disruptive care plan significantly increased total sleep by an average of 30 minutes per night.
• Uninterrupted sleep duration increased by approximately 45 minutes.
• No significant changes in daytime sleep were observed, and no skin breakdown occurred.

Conclusions:

• Non-disruptive nighttime care positively impacts sleep duration and continuity in personal care residents.
• Gerontological nurses should consider implementing less disruptive nighttime care protocols.
• This approach may improve resident restfulness and prevent skin issues.