Quality of sleep in patients undergoing cardiac surgery during the postoperative period in intensive care

To describe the quality of sleep of patients undergoing cardiac surgery during the first two nights following surgery and identify some of the factors conditioning the nightly rest of these patients in the Intensive Care Unit.

Observational descriptive study based on applying the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire through a consecutive sample of patients undergoing cardiac surgery with Intensive Care Unit admission. Simultaneously, a questionnaire assessing different environmental factors existing in the unit as possible conditioning of the night's rest was applied. The association between consumption of opioid and sleep quality was studied.

Sample of 66 patients with a mean age of 65±11.57 years, of which 73% were men (N=48). The Richards-Campbell sleep questionnaire garnered average scores of 50.33mm (1.st night) and 53.30mm (2.nd night). The main sleep disturbing factors were discomfort with the different devices, 30.91mm and pain, 30.18mm. The problems caused by environmental noise, 27.5mm or through the voices of the professionals, 26.53mm were also elements of nocturnal discomfort. No statistical association was found between sleep and the distance of the patient with respect to the nursing control area or related to opioid analgesics.

The quality of sleep during the first two nights of Intensive Care Unit admission was "regular". The environmental factors that conditioned the night-time rest of patients were discomfort, pain and ambient noise.