Nahed Attia Kandeel^1,, Mona Mohamed El-Hady¹, Nayera Tantawy¹

Introduction: Sleep disturbance is a commonly reported problem in the intensive care unit (ICU). Evidence suggests that sleep disturbance has negative influences on different body systems which may delay recovery, increase the length of intensive care stay, and consequently raise the cost of health care services. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of back massage on perceived sleep quality among adult patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Method: The study has a quasi-experimental design with repeated measures. The study involved 100 adult patients recruited from six ICUs affiliated to Mansoura University Hospitals in Egypt. The participants were randomized to either an intervention group who received a 10-minute back massage session for 3 consecutive nights or a control group who rested quietly during the intervention. Data were collected using Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale and Factors Affecting Sleep Quality Scale. Results: No significant differences were detected between the two groups before the intervention concerning the three main sleep subscales 'disturbance', 'effectiveness', and 'supplementation'. However, a significant difference was noted among the two groups after implementing massage intervention (P=0.000*). The results indicated improvement in sleep quality among the back massage group. The findings illustrated that sleep-disruptive causes in ICU are multifactorial. Critical care nurses need to adopt different strategies for management of modifiable sleep-disruptive factors such as noise, light, alarms and lack of privacy to enhance patients' sleep quality. Conclusion: Back massage is an effective intervention in promoting sleep quality for ICU patients. It can be then included in routine nursing care of ICU patients.

back massage, sleep quality, intensive care unit patients