Impact of a sleep promotion protocol on off-pump coronary artery bypass graft patients

Sleep abnormalities frequently occur in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and the consequences of sleep abnormalities in patients who undergo off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCABG) surgery are particularly significant. Although many interventions have been reported to improve sleep, few sleep promotion protocols have been designed specifically for patients in cardiac ICUs.

This study aimed to explore the effects of an evidence-based sleep promotion protocol on patients who underwent OPCABG in a cardiac ICU.

A quasi-experimental study was conducted in a comprehensive hospital in Shandong province of China.

Overall, 67 participants were recruited (37 in the control group and 30 in the intervention group). An evidence-based sleep promotion protocol was developed by a 10-member interprofessional collaborative team and then applied. Sound levels, light intensity, and the number of nocturnal interventions were compared between groups. The Chinese version of the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ) was used to compare intergroup sleep status on two consecutive postoperative nights.

No significant differences were found for demographics or disease severity between the groups. In the intervention group, sound levels and light intensity were significantly lower at various times, and nocturnal interventions were significantly less frequent over the two consecutive nights. RCSQ scores were significantly higher in the intervention group for both nights.

The sleep promotion protocol reduced sound levels, night-time light intensity, the number of nocturnal interventions, and improved sleep among OPCABG patients in a cardiac ICU.

Evidence-based practice can help to promote good quality of care, improve patient outcomes, and advance nursing in clinical settings.