Sleep promotion for hospitalised children: Developing an evidence-based guideline for nurses.
Elijeshca C Crous, Natasha North
PMID 34636624WHAT IT FOUND
A nurse-led guideline recommends partnering with mothers, coordinating ward routines, reducing noise and light, and screening sleep for hospitalised children.
It was adapted from adult intensive care recommendations and has not been tested in children.
Key findings
01A total of 2433 sources were screened, and two were found suitable for modification.
02Forty-one eligible recommendations were refined into six themes, including bedside carer collaboration, ward routine, ward environment, staff communication, and sleep assessment.
03The guideline replaced an adult sleep questionnaire with an adapted child sleep assessment tool.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
No children, families, or nurses were studied, so there is no direct evidence that the guideline improves sleep or patient outcomes. The guideline has not been implemented, so local resource constraints, staff roles, and family practices may change how useful it is. It was adapted from adult intensive care guidance in high-income settings, not from paediatric ward guidance. Only two suitable sources were found, so the evidence base is narrow. The adapted child sleep assessment tool has not been validated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that the guideline improves children's sleep. No children were studied and the guideline has not been implemented, so the recommendations are untested.