The effect of blindfolds and earplugs on sleep quality of patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit

Introduction: Patients hospitalized in cardiac intensive care units can lead to sleep disorder. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of blindfolds and earplugs on sleep quality of the patients who were admitted to the CCU.

Methods: In this clinical trial, 80 patients admitted to CCU of Emam Ali Hospital in 2013 were purposively selected and randomly divided into four groups (the first intervention group, who used eye masks and earplugs; the second intervention group, who used eye masks only; the third intervention group, who used earplugs; and a control group, who did not receive any intervention). Qualities of sleep were evaluated using Sleep Quality Index Pittsburgh. Data in the four groups were analyzed using chi-square and ANOVA and Dunnetts C statistics tests using SPSS-21 software (05/0>P).

Results: There revealed a significant difference in the quality of sleep (P<00/001) between the intervention groups and the control group. Sleep quality score of the intervention groups was lower than the control group, which indicates a better sleep quality in the intervention groups compared to the control groups. The intervention groups were not significantly different from one another in terms of the quality of sleep (P>0/05).

Conclusion: Utilization of such non-invasive non-pharmaceutical tools as blindfolds and earplugs are recommended in cardiac intensive care units since they are cost effective and non-complicating and that they result in an improvement in sleep quality of the patients who are suffering from cardiac complications.