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Patient and parent sleep in a children's hospital

Lisa J Meltzer1, Katherine Finn Davis, Jodi A Mindell

  • 1Sleep Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Pediatric Nursing
|June 13, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric hospitalization disrupts sleep for children and parents. Hospital environments, including noise and medical procedures, significantly worsen sleep quality for young patients and their caregivers.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Hospital Environment Impact on Sleep
  • Parental Sleep During Hospitalization

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are common in hospitalized children, yet research on specific sleep aspects and parental sleep impact is limited.
  • Understanding sleep patterns during pediatric hospitalization is crucial for improving patient and family well-being.
  • Few studies have comprehensively assessed sleep in non-intensive care pediatric inpatients and their accompanying parents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine multiple sleep aspects (bedtime, wake time, night wakings, total sleep time) in pediatric inpatients and rooming-in parents.
  • To compare sleep patterns of younger children versus adolescents during hospitalization.
  • To identify factors contributing to sleep disturbances in the hospital setting.

Main Methods:

  • A self-report survey was administered to 72 non-intensive care pediatric inpatients and 58 rooming-in parents.
  • Participants completed surveys about sleep at home and in the hospital, as well as in-hospital sleep disturbances.
  • Data were analyzed to compare sleep parameters across age groups and identify correlates of sleep disruption.

Main Results:

  • Younger children experienced later bedtimes, later wake times, more night wakings, and shorter total sleep time.
  • Adolescents exhibited later wake times, increased night wakings, and longer total sleep time.
  • Parents reported later bedtimes, later wake times, and more night wakings when rooming-in, indicating disrupted sleep for both children and parents.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric hospitalization significantly disrupts sleep for both children and parents, with younger children and parents being more affected.
  • Sleep disturbances were linked to hospital-related factors such as noise, worries, pain, and vital sign checks.
  • Interventions, particularly those within nursing scope, are needed to mitigate sleep disruptions and enhance sleep quality for hospitalized children and their families.

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