[Applying back massage protocol to promote an intensive care unit patient's quality of sleep]

Abstract

This case report concerns the nursing experience of applying back massage to a patient in an intensive care unit (ICU) from 10 May, 2005, in order to improve the patient's quality of sleep. In order to collect information about his quality of sleep of the patient, the author used observation, interview and a Richards-Campbell sleep questionnaire (RCSQ). It was observed that, before massage, the patient's sleep quality was poor, which wa why the protocol with back massage was proposed. The results after back massage was applied that heart beat, respiration. oxygen saturation and blood pressure were not significantly improved. This was probably related to the patient's worry about having his endotracheal tube removed. The patient's perception of sleep, indeed, was obviously improved, a result which may have been related to his/her perception of comfort and care from the nurse. Applying back massage to an ICU patient may therefore be regarded as helpful improving the patient's sleep quality. It is hoped that this case report may serve as a positive reference for health care providers so that it may help patients to recover fully through rest and sleep. Since this report concerned only one patient, however, to understand the real outcome of how back massage could improve the quality of sleep of ICU patients, research is planned on the use of back massage protocol on a large number os such patients.