Sleep assessment in patients after surgery: a systematic review

The aim of this study was to systematically examine data obtained from studies on the process, quality, and nature of sleep in patients who have undergone surgical intervention. The study retrospectively screened nursing publications that evaluated sleep in patients who underwent surgical treatment between January 2009 and January 2024. After the scan using keywords in the first place, the results were limited to studies that could be accessed in the full text of the last 15 years written in Turkish and English. The study included 27 articles, 11 of which were descriptive and 16 were experimental. The methodological quality of each study was assessed using the "Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies". In studies to evaluate sleep, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Richard-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Visual Analog Sleep Scale (VASS) were commonly used. Nurses have a significant role in improving sleep and sleep health issues. It is important for nurses to carry out routine sleep assessments in inpatient patients and to apply interventions that support healthy sleep and thus accelerate healing. The assessment of patient's sleep should be done using a reliable and valid tool.