Effect of using eye mask and earplugs in preventing delirium in intensive care patients

This research is planned as a randomized controlled experimental study to examine the effect of using eye mask and earplugs in preventing delirium with evidence-based nonpharmacological nursing interventions in intensive care units. The sample of the randomized controlled, single-blind design study consisted of 60 patients (30 interventions and 30 controls) hospitalized in the adult intensive care units of a foundation university. Patient Information Form, APACHE II, Glasgow Coma Scale, Richmond Sedation Agitation Scale, Nursing Delirium Screening Scale, Richard-Campbell Sleep Scale, Semi-Structured Interview Form, Daily Follow-up Form were used for data collection. Nurses were trained in intensive care units and landscaping was done in accordance with the content of the training. After the intervention and control groups were determined by simple randomization after stratified randomization according to age, the forms were applied to the patients in both groups during the day (08:00-20:00) and night shift (20:00-08:00) for three days. The patients in the intervention group were additionally given eye mask and earplugs before going to sleep. In addition, the views of the patients in the intervention group regarding the use of eye masks and earplugs were examined with one-to-one semi-structured interview technique and thematic analysis was made. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskall-Wallis Analysis of Variance were used in the analysis of the data and the Generalized Estimation Equation (GEE) method, which is an advanced analysis method, was used In the 2. day day shift, more delirium was observed in the control group in terms of the development status of delirium between the intervention and control groups, none of the patients in the 3. day daytime and 3. day nighttime intervention group developed delirium, and the difference between the two groups within these three shifts was found statistically significant (p<0.05). According to the results of the GEE analysis, it was found that staying in the internal medicine intensive care unit had an effect on the development of delirium 11,834 times more than the coronary intensive care unit, being aged 65 and over, having hearing impairment, coming to the intensive care unit from the operating room, and education level also had an effect on the development of delirium. As a result of the research, it was found that the application of eye mask and earplugs had an effect on preventing delirium and shortening its duration, and increased the sleep quality of the patients. In line with the results of the study, it is recommended that the use of eye masks and earplugs applied with evidence-based non-pharmacological nursing interventions in intensive care units should be used in the prevention of delirium.