Among 201 inpatient oncology nurses, greater sleep knowledge significantly predicted sleep promotion behaviors, more positive attitudes, and greater perceived control over improving patients' sleep, while nurses' own sleep hygiene also affected perceived control; nurses held positive attitudes but reported various barriers.
Nurses' sleep knowledge significantly predicted their behaviors to promote oncology inpatients' sleep.
Nurses' sleep knowledge significantly predicted their attitudes toward improving inpatients' sleep.
Nurses' sleep knowledge significantly predicted their perceived control over improving inpatients' sleep.
Nurses' own sleep hygiene practices were associated with their perceived control over enhancing patients' sleep.
Qualitative responses reflected positive nurse attitudes toward improving patients' sleep, but also revealed various barriers.
The authors conclude that increasing nurses' sleep knowledge and sleep hygiene is important for effective sleep promotion practice.
Sleep disturbances are prevalent among cancer patients and can persist or worsen during hospital stays, yet nurses' sleep-promotion practices and influencing factors were poorly understood.
This study surveyed 201 nurses who care for hospitalized cancer patients to learn what influences whether they take steps to help patients sleep. Sleep problems are common in people with cancer and can get worse in the hospital, but little was known about what nurses do about it or what shapes their efforts. The survey found that nurses who knew more about sleep were more likely to carry out sleep-promoting behaviors, had more positive attitudes about improving patients' sleep, and felt more able to make a difference. Nurses' own sleep habits were also linked to how much control they felt they had over helping patients sleep. In written comments, nurses expressed positive attitudes but also described barriers in the hospital environment and suggested ways to improve patients' sleep. This research suggests that teaching nurses more about sleep, including healthy sleep habits, and supporting them with workplace strategies could help hospitals do a better job of protecting patients' sleep. Because the study was a survey that looked at associations, it cannot prove that more knowledge directly causes better sleep care or better patient sleep.
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Upload Your LabsMohedat H, Dickerson S, Lorenz R, Li C, Storer A, Somayaji D. (2026). Enhancing Inpatients' Sleep in Oncology Care Settings: Examining Factors Impacting Nurses' Practices.. Cancer nursing. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0000000000001489