The effect of psychosocial nursing interventions on sleep, anxiety and delirium in patients undergoing open heart surgery

This study was conducted to determine the effects of psychosocial nursing interventions on sleep, anxiety and delirium in patients undergoing open heart surgery. The prospective randomized controlled study was conducted with 60 patients in the study group (n=30) and the control group (n=30). While the control group received routine nursing care, the study group patients were administered earplugs, eye patches and brief cognitive behavioral therapy as part of psychosocial nursing interventions, two before and two after surgery. Both groups were administered the Standardized Mini-Mental Test, Visual Analog Scale, Spielberger State Anxiety Scale, Richard Campbell Sleep Quality Scale, Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale and Intensive Care Confusion Assessment Scale before surgery and during their stay in the intensive care unit. The obtained data were evaluated using paired t test, ANOVA and Bonferroni test statistics. No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of pre-intervention pain, anxiety and sleep findings (p>0.05). After the application, the patients in the study group had decreased pain and anxiety levels and better sleep quality compared to the patients in the control group. No delirium was observed in the study group. The difference between the groups was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). In addition, when the correlation of anxiety and sleep quality to delirium was examined, a negative weak relationship was found. As a result of the study, it was determined that psychosocial nursing interventions in patients undergoing open heart surgery reduced pain and anxiety, provided better sleep quality and had a preventive effect on delirium. No study was found that examined the effects of psychosocial nursing interventions on anxiety, sleep and delirium in patients undergoing open heart surgery together, and in this respect, our study is the first.