Sleep as a topic in nursing education programs? A mixed method study of syllabuses and nursing students' perceptions

Background: Sleep is a basic human need and is considered important for maintaining health. It is even more important during illness due to its impact for example on our immune system. Nurses have an important role in identifying sleep deprivation. They are also in a unique position to promote and address sleep among patients. However, it is essential that they are provided with the appropriate knowledge during training. Aim: To explore and describe nursing students' perceptions of preparedness to adress and support patients' sleep during hospitalization and to apply sleep-promoting interventions in a clinical context. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate if, and how, the topic of sleep is explicitly incorporated in nursing education programs. Design: A descriptive study based on a mixed method approach. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from program and course syllabuses and intended learning outcomes from three universities. Twenty-one nursing students from the same universities were interviewed during their final year of education. Results: The results of both quantitative and qualitative data consistently show that education regarding sleep and patients' sleep is limited and, in some respects, absent in the Bachelor of Science Nursing programs investigated. Conclusion This study indicates that education about sleep and patients' sleep in the nursing programs studied is insufficient and limited. This gap in knowledge may lead to prospective registered nurses using their own experiences instead of evidence-based knowledge when assessing, supporting and applying sleep-promoting interventions.