Graduation Year
2021
Document Type
Senior Thesis
Degree
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Primary Major
Nursing
Primary Minor
Molecular Cell Biology
Thesis Advisor
Patricia Harris, PhD, RN, CNS
Abstract
The objective of this research proposal is to identify short-term and long-term health consequences due to sleep disturbances in patients admitted to intensive care units. When reviewing published literature regarding sleep loss in the intensive care unit (ICU), it was discovered that adult patients admitted to a variety of ICU settings both in the United States and abroad reported disruptions in sleep to be a common complaint and barrier to their recovery. This is due to noises made by bedside alarms such as IV pumps, lights in the unit, and interruptions made by medical staff members to provide time-sensitive care.
In the proposed research design, the goal is to recruit adults over the age of 18 to participate in a longitudinal quantitative study. Data will be collected by researchers using interviews and asking participants particular questions to determine sleep habits and changes in health status. Researchers will also assess participant’s baseline health and sleep status prior to their admission to the ICU. With this information the team may be able to compare baseline data to long-term data post-discharge. Collected data will be analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods in three different stages.