Sleep Quality Among Patients Following Cardiac Surgery

Abstract

Background: Sleep quality is a critical determinant of recovery following cardiac surgery. Post-operative patients often experience sleep disturbances due to pain, anxiety, environmental factors, and frequent medical interventions. Poor sleep can delay healing, impair immunity, and reduce patient satisfaction. Despite its importance, sleep quality among cardiac surgery patients in tertiary-level hospitals remains underexplored.

Objectives:

• To assess sleep quality among post-operative cardiac patients using a 15-item Likert scale questionnaire.
• To identify factors contributing to sleep disturbances.
• To compare perceptions of sleep quality among patients, nurses, and MBBS students/interns.
• To recommend strategies for improving sleep quality in hospital settings.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in four tertiary-level hospitals. Participants included 24 post-operative cardiac patients of all genders, 50 MBBS students/interns, and 50 nurses. Sleep quality was assessed using a validated 15-item Likert scale questionnaire covering domains of pain, environment, psychological stress, nursing care, and sleep hygiene. Semi-structured interviews and ward environment observations supplemented quantitative data.

Results:

• Patient Sleep Quality: 70% reported poor sleep quality, 20% moderate, and 10% good.
• Mean Likert Scores: Pain-related disturbance (4.2 ± 0.6), environmental factors (3.9 ± 0.7), psychological stress (4.0 ± 0.5), nursing interventions (3.7 ± 0.8), sleep hygiene awareness (2.8 ± 0.9).
• Contributing Factors: Pain (80%), hospital environment (65%), psychological stress (60%).
• Nurses’ Perspective: Difficulty balancing monitoring with minimizing disturbances; suggested quiet hours and clustering care.
• Students’ Perspective: Patients with family support reported better sleep; identified lack of patient education on sleep hygiene.

Conclusion: Sleep quality among post-operative cardiac patients is significantly impaired due to multifactorial causes. Collaborative interventions involving nurses, students, and physicians—such as quiet hours, optimized pain management, patient education, and family involvement—can improve sleep quality and enhance recovery outcomes.