The research team, based at the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre and Musculoskeletal Research Unit at the University of Bristol, worked through four phases of the study. The aim was to develop a set of recommendations to improve patients’ sleep on wards.

First, the researchers worked with patients to understand their experiences of sleeping on wards. Then they surveyed staff to understand the sleep environment and sleep-related practices on wards, identifying areas for change.

The team then held meetings with senior ward staff and managers to look at the areas identified. This aimed to understand what could feasibly be changed to improve sleep for patients. Finally, the team mapped out these factors that could be changed, highlighting where the power to make such changes was held.

From beeping equipment to slamming doors and bin lids, the researchers identified 18 factors that could be changed in three areas: environment and equipment, staff awareness and behaviour, and patient awareness and behaviour.

Read the full news item on the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre pages

Paper: Hurley-Wallace A et al. (2024). An opportunity to sleep well in hospital: development of a multi-level intervention to improve inpatient sleep (ASLEEP) using behaviour change theories. BMC Psychology.