Hospital Environmental Disruptors and Caregiver Sleep During Hospitalization.

PURPOSE: Caregivers must cope with a poor sleep environment when caring for someone admitted to the hospital. The aim was to study the environmental factors associated with a sleep disruption pattern in caregivers during hospitalization and to test their association with caregivers' insomnia symptoms. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: One hundred twenty-three caregivers completed the study. The effect of environmental stimuli on sleep disruption was measured on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = no disruption, 10 = significant disruption). Type of room (single vs shared), insomnia symptoms, anxiety and depression, and patients' dependence (Barthel Index) were assessed as well. Caregiver and patient characteristics as well as identified hospital disruptors were compared with Student t test, χ2 test, and Fisher exact test according to the caregivers' type of room. A linear regression model using main caregiver and patient sociodemographic variables, questionnaires, and the sum of all hospital disruptors determined the factors associated with caregivers' insomnia symptoms. RESULTS: Of the caregivers and their care recipients, 51.2% shared a room with 1 to 2 other patients. Higher self-reported levels of sleep disruption due to environmental stimuli were found in shared rooms when compared with single rooms (eg, nursing care, noise, and light) (P < .05). Hospital sleep disruptors (adjusted regression coefficient, 0.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-0.24) and caregiver anxiety (adjusted regression coefficient, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.33-0.81) were predictors for insomnia (P < .01). However, caregivers' type of room was not associated with insomnia severity symptoms (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Interventions are urgent to implement, such as relieving caregivers from patient needs during the night, providing them with single rooms, and conducting multiple nursing tasks in 1 visit to minimize night hospital noise.

Insomnia Symptoms and Associated Factors in Caregivers of Adult Hospitalized Patients.

Caregivers experience high levels of emotional stress and must cope with several clinical and hospital-related environmental factors that seriously impact their night's rest. The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence of insomnia symptoms in a sample of caregivers of adult hospitalized patients and to examine the relationships between insomnia symptoms and patient and caregiver-associated factors. A total of 152 caregivers were enrolled from the two main hospitals in Granada, Spain. Sociodemographic, economic, and care-related data were collected. Insomnia symptoms, burden, anxiety and depression, social support, and resilience were assessed. Information on patients' hospital admission, dependence, and neuropsychiatric symptoms was also obtained. Most caregivers were middle-aged women caring for their spouses. Self-reported insomnia prevalence was set at 45.4%. Comparison analyses between caregivers suffering from insomnia symptoms and non-insomniacs showed significantly higher burden, anxiety and depression and patients' neuropsychiatric symptoms (p < 0.05) and lower resilience and social support in the former (p < 0.01). A regression analysis showed that anxiety (ORa = 1.15; p < 0.05) and higher caregiver education level (ORa = 5.50; p < 0.05) were factors significantly associated with insomnia symptoms. Patients' neuropsychiatric symptoms showed a trend toward statistical significance as well (ORa = 1.09; p = 0.06). There is an acute need to address, prevent and treat insomnia problems in caregivers.

[Evaluation of good practices about breastfeeding in a mother and child hospital.] / Evaluación de buenas prácticas en lactancia materna en un hospital materno infantil.

OBJECTIVE: Protection, promotion and support to the breastfeeding is considered as an area of priority in public health care and as a determining factor of child and maternal health. The use of good practice guides improves health outcomes and patients safety. The aim of study was to assess the impact on breastfeeding of a Guide of Good Clinic Practices about breastfeeding in the Mother and Child Center of the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada. METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Mothers and newborns attended from 2015 to 2018 were studied. Process and outcome variables were considered to perform a descriptive and bivariate analysis for the comparison between years. RESULTS: The rate of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge went from 58.3% to 72.2%. Significant differences were found for the first intake of exclusive breastfeeding in eutocic births and in C-sections, from 90.8% to 93.2% in the first and from 21.7% to 60% in the second. Improvements were detected in the assessment of intake, postnatal education and onset and duration of skin-to-skin contact. CONCLUSIONS: Postnatal protocolized actions carried out by health professionals, such as the assessment of the intake of breastfeeding and postnatal education, were effective for the establishment of breastfeeding. The first moment of skin-to-skin contact and its duration are aspects to be reinforced for effective support.

OBJETIVO: La protección, promoción y apoyo a la lactancia materna (LM) está considerada como un área de atención prioritaria de salud pública, así como un factor determinante de la salud infantil y materna. La utilización de guías de buenas prácticas mejora los resultados de salud y la seguridad de los pacientes. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el impacto en la lactancia materna tras la implantación de la Guía de Buenas Prácticas Clínicas "Lactancia Materna" en el centro Materno Infantil del Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves de Granada. METODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal. Se estudiaron madres y recién nacidos atendidos desde 2015 a 2018. Se examinaron variables de proceso y de resultados, realizando análisis descriptivo y bivariante para la comparativa entre años. RESULTADOS: La tasa de LM exclusiva al alta pasó del 58,3 % al 72,2 %. Se encontraron diferencias significativas para la primera toma de LM exclusiva en los partos eutócicos (del 90,8% al 93,2%) y en las cesáreas (del 21,7% al 60%). Se obtuvieron mejoras en la valoración de la toma, la educación postnatal y el inicio y duración del contacto piel con piel. CONCLUSIONES: Las acciones protocolizadas posnatales que realizan los profesionales de la salud, como la valoración de la toma de LM y la educación postnatal, resultan eficaces para instaurar la lactancia. El momento de inicio del contacto piel con piel y su duración son aspectos que deben ser reforzados para un apoyo efectivo.

Evolution of care indicators after an early discharge intervention in preterm infants. / Evolución de indicadores de cuidados tras una intervención de alta precoz en recién nacidos prematuros.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the evolution of health outcomes in preterm infants included in an early discharge programme. METHOD: Controlled, non-randomised trial with an intervention group and a control group children admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves of Granada were included in the study. The intervention group comprised preterm infants admitted to the neonatal unit clinically stable, whose family home was located within 20km. from the hospital. They were discharged two weeks before the established time and a skilled nurse in neonatal care monitored them at home. The control group comprised infants who could not be included in home monitoring due to the distance to the hospital criterion or because their families did not give their consent and who received the usual care until their discharge. The study variables were the outcome indicators of the Nursing Outcomes Classification. RESULTS: Differences were found in the Nursing Outcomes Classification scores in the intervention group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The early discharge of preterm infants followed up at home by an expert nurse in neonatal care is a health service that achieves results in preparating parents for the care of their child, enabling them to learn about the health services, adapt to their new life, and establishbreastfeeding times. It constitutes safe intervention for children and is beneficial to parents.

Needs Perceived by Parents of Preterm Infants: Integrating Care Into the Early Discharge Process.

UNLABELLED: The birth of a preterm infant can have a great emotional impact on the parents when the length of stay is long. Early discharge programs facilitate the transition to the home and have beneficial effects on both the parents and children. However, only a few studies have been conducted to identify the real needs of parents of preterm infants and to determine whether early discharge programs meet such needs. The main objective of this study was to identify the experiences and obstacles, during hospitalization and after discharge, of fathers and mothers of preterm infants who did or did not participate in an early discharge program. METHOD: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was performed and included 23 parents of preterm infants. Thematic analysis was performed with the assistance of Atlas.ti 6.2 software. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified: the emotional experience and obstacles to care during hospitalization and the emotional experiences and obstacles at home related to the early discharge program. The results indicated that preterm birth initially has a deep emotional impact on parents. DISCUSSION: There is a remarkable lack of coordination regarding the information provided to parents on their infant's health status. Being first-time parents seems to be an important factor, although further evidence supporting this notion should be provided. CONCLUSION: Parents considered early discharge programs to be very useful in addressing the emotional aspects of hospitalization and the acquisition of neonatal care skills. Parents claim that the coordination and the information provided should be improved.

[Evaluation of a functional plan for caregivers in hospital]. / Evaluación del plan funcional dirigido a personas cuidadoras en hospitalización.

BACKGROUND: The care of dependent persons has increased, as such that healthcare reforms are taking caregivers into account. A functional plan in hospitalization was developed for caregivers, and his study aims to investigate its implementation, identifying the strengths and weaknesses that promote changes between the formal and informal system. METHODS: A qualitative study was designed, using nursing professionals and caregivers identified in the hospital as subjects. A focus group technique was used with 8 people selected for each segment. Two scripts were developed with questions on the evaluation criteria included in the plan: identification/recruitment, reception, rest, diet, health care, information/health education, management and implementation of the plan and other proposals. The data were collected during May 2011. RESULTS: Difficulties were encountered in identifying caregivers, as an initial evaluation was not made. As regards the reception, in some cases the information brochure was not given. Rest was not possible as the caregivers did not want to move away from the patient. Diet was the main cause of the conflict, highlighting the lack of health education to continue in home care. Circuits of preferential care in emergency were positively valuated. Nurses consider the plan as an extra task. CONCLUSIONS: The strengths and weaknesses identified should enable improvements to be made in the implementation of the plan, in order to achieve changes in specific aspects such as information/education, health, rest and diet of the caregivers. We emphasize the need to enhance the model change.