Question on the hospital enviro and patient sleep

[Kaysmom8]

If you had the topic "Impact of the critical care environment on patient's sleep" as a topic that you have to present to your class and you saw that someone else was assigned the topic 'reducing noise levels in the ICU: benefits for ICU patients", would you think those topics are kind of the same? Every thing I looked up on my topic has noise as the number one interruption to a patient's sleep. Am I going in the wrong direction with my topic? I was going to include noise, nursing/staff activities that frequently awaken pt's etc. I wanted to do icu psychosis/delirium but that has a lot to do with noise/ interrupted sleep. Any ideas, I am a huge worrier about what people think about me and to boot I have terrible panic attacks so getting up in front of the class to do a presentation is one thing but being completely off topic is my biggest fear

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

You have identified a lot of things that impact sleep (and as a hint, also look at the simultaneous presence of sensory deprivation and sensory overload-- yes, they can certainly exist together and they wreak havoc on normal brain function).

I would suggest to you that if the faculty assigns the topics, then they already know someone will be presenting on sleep disruption/noise in addition to your presentation on the impact of the environment on sleep. Part of the idea here is to learn something, of course, and to teach it to your classmates; the other part is to learn how to do a presentation. It is perfectly acceptable to have overlap.

I would put a lot less thought into what other people think about yourself and more into how you can learn a lot of useful stuff and communicate it to your classmates who may be in a position to remember and use it. Great topic.

A final note: A little anxiety is good-- it makes your brain work more efficiently, tells your liver to kick out glucagon for extra energy, ups your BP to send food and oxygen to your cells, makes your eyes focus better, and does all sorts of useful physiological things. However. If anxiety is getting in your way, hie yourself to the student health center first thing in the morning and tell them so they can help you manage better. Believe me, they've seen it all before and know what to do. Do what they tell you.

[Kaysmom8]

You always have the best advice, If I remember correctly you're a nursing instructor? you remind me so much of one of my favorite teachers who retired last semester I wish we had a student health center but unfortunately we don't, I do have anxiety medication that I will definitely be taking tomorrow morning if not I get up in front of the room and within minutes I start to get panicky and feel like I'm going to pass out. It's the worst disorder ever but I have came a long way considering I used to have such severe agoraphobia that I was unable to leave the house. I still have mild agoraphobia from time to time and it's so frustrating but then I realize how bad it used to be and how far I have come. Thanks again for the advice!!

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Noise is one factor but there are other factors as well. Some things you can't likely change though... for example, fresh post-op cranis will likely be on q 1hr neuro checks for the first 12-24 hrs. This undoubtedly affects the patient's ability to sleep but there's not much you can do about it....

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

squeaky equipment, including doors, should be addressed. Someone on continuous fluids will need to urinate frequently. Pain wakes up patients. Lot of reasons, but rest is restorative and should be included in the care plan.

As for anxiety, I like to pretend I am HELPING someone learn the concept I am presenting. Now the focus is on them, not me.