Nursing Path

CARING is the essence of NURSING. -Jean Watson

Nursing Path

Knowing is not enough, we must APPLY. Willing is not enough, we must DO. -Bruce Lee

Nursing Path

Treat the patient as a whole, not just the hole in the patient.

Nursing Path

Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. -Winston Churchill

Nursing Path

A problem is a chance for you to do your best. -Duke Ellington

ABNORMALITIES OF MOOD /EMOTION

  • Feeling: a positive or negative reaction to some experience
  • Emotion: a stirred up state due to physiological changes which occurs as a response to some event and which tends to maintain or abolish the causative event.
  • Mood: the pervasive feeling tone which is sustained (lasts for a length of time) and colours the total experience of the person.
  •  Affect: is the outward objective expression of the immediate cross-sectional emotion at a given time.
  • Euthymia: a normal mood state, neither depressed nor manic.
  • Cheerfulness: being in good spirits.
  • Perplexity: a state of puzzled bewilderment.
  • Anxiety: feeling of apprehension accompanied by autonomic symptoms (such as muscles tension, perspiration and tachycardia), caused by anticipation of danger.
  • Free-floating anxiety: diffuse, unfocused anxiety, not attached to a specific danger.
  • Fear: anxiety caused by realistic consciously recognized danger.
  •  Panic: acute, self-limiting, episodic intense attack of anxiety associated with overwhelming dread and autonomic symptoms.
  •  Phobia: irrational exaggerated fear and avoidance of a specific object, situation or activity.
  • Agrophobia: patients rigidly avoids situations in which it would be difficult to obtain help.
  • Social phobia -  Intense and excessive fear of being observed by other people
    • E.g eating or drinking in public or talking to the other member of sex
  • Specific phobia: irrational fear of a specific object or stimulus.
    • Acrophobia: fear of heights
    • Arachnophobia: fear of spiders
    • Claustrophobia: fear of closed spaces
    • Gamophobia: fear of marriage
    • Hemophobia: fear of blood
    • Zoophobia:  fear of animals
  • Agitation: severe feeling of inner tension associated with motor restlessness.
  • Irritable mood: easily annoyed and provoked to anger.
  • Dysphoria: mixture feelings of sadness and apprehension.
  • Depressed mood: feeling of sadness, pessimism and a sense of loneliness.
  • Anhedonia: lack of pleasure in acts which are normally pleasurable.
  • Diurnal variation: a variation in the severity of symptoms  (mood) depending on the time of the day
  • Grief: sadness appropriate to a real loss (e.g. death of a relative)
  • Guilt: unpleasant emotion secondary to doing what is perceived as wrong.
  • Shame: unpleasant emotion secondary to failure to live up to self-expectations.
  • Perplexity: anxious mood with bewilderment.
  • Ambivalent Mood: coexistence of two opposing emotional tones towards the same object in the same person at the same time.
  • Alexithymia: inability to, or difficulty in, expressing one’s own emotions.
  • Elevated Mood: a mood more cheerful than usual.
  • Elevated Mood:
    • Euphoria (Stage I): mild elevation of mood in which feeling of elevated mood with optimism and self-satisfaction not keeping with ongoing events. Usually seen in hypomania.
    • Elation (stage II):  (Moderate elevation of mood)  - a feeling of confidence and enjoyment, along with increased PMA. –a  feature of manic illness
    • Exaltation (stage III): (severe elevation of mod)intense elation with delusions of grandeur, seen in severe mania.
    • Ecstasy (Stage IV): (very severe elevation of mod):  a sense of extreme well-being associated with a feeling of rapture, bliss and grace. typically seen in delirious and stuporous mania
  • Expansive Mood: expression of euphoria with an overestimation of self-importance.
  • Grandiosity: feeling and thinking of great importance (in identity or ability).
  • Constricted Affect: significant reduction in the normal emotional responses.
  • Flat affect: absence of emotional expression.
  • Apathy: lack of emotion, interest or concern, associated with detachment.
  • Labile Affect: rapid, abrupt changes in emotions in the same setting, unrelated to external stimuli.
  • La Belle Indifference: inappropriate denial of expected affect and lack of concern about physical disability (seen in conversion disorders).
  • Inappropriate Affect: disharmony between emotions and the idea, thought, or speech, accompanying it.
  • Cyclothymia: There is cyclical mood variation to a lesser degree than in bipolar disorder.
References
  1. Psychiatry, Third Edition. Edited by Allan Tasman, Jerald Kay, Jeffrey A. Lieberman, Michael B. First and Mario Maj. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2008.
  2. Sims, A. Symptoms in the Mind: An Introduction to Descriptive Psychopathology (3rd ed). Elsevier, 2002.
  3. Fish, F. Clinical Psychopathology, Signs and Symptoms in Psychiatry. Bristol: J. Wright & Sons. 1967.

ABNORMALITIES IN THINKING

  • Autistic thinking: an abnormal absorption with the self distinguished by the interpersonal communication difficulties, a short attention span, and inability to relate others
A. Abnormalities of Stream of Thought
  • Flight of ideas: the thoughts follow each other rapidly and there is no general direction of thinking, seen in mania /excited schizophrenics.
  • Prolixity: ordered flight of ideas seen in hypomania.
  • Pressure of thoughts: Rapid abundant varying thoughts associated with pressure of speech and flight of ideas.
  • Poverty of thoughts: Few, slow, unvaried thoughts associated with poverty of speech.
  • Thought block: Sudden cessation of thought flow with complete emptying of the mind not caused by an external influence.
B. Abnormalities of Form of thought
  • ‘Formal thought disorder’: a synonym for the disorders of conceptual or abstract thinking which occur in schizophrenia and coarse brain disease.
  • Tangentiality: Replies are oblique, tangential or even irrelevant.
  • Looseness of Association:  (asyndesis) more severe version of tangentiality.
  • Derailment: a pattern of spontaneous speech where ideas slip off onto another one, which is clearly but obliquely related or completely unrelated.
  • Neologism: completely new word or phrase whose deviation cannot be understood.
C. Abnormal Thought Content
  • Overvalued Ideas: “A thought which, because of the associated feeling tone, takes precedence over all other ideas and maintains this precedence permanently or for a long period of time.”
  • Delusions: Unshakable false beliefs out of keeping with the person’s cultural background not arrived at through logic thinking and not amenable to reasoning.
  • Delusional mood:  the patient has the knowledge that there is something going on around him which concerns him, but he does not know what it is.
  • Delusional memory: a primary delusion which is recalled as arising as result of a memory.
  • Delusional perception (apophanous perception): the attribution of a new meaning, usually in the sense of self-reference, to a normally perceived object.
  • Autochthonous delusions: a primary delusion which appeasers to arise fully formed in the patient’s mind without explanation.
Delusional Contents:
  • Persecutory (paranoid) delusion: Delusion of being persecuted (cheated, mistreated, etc.)
  • Grandiose delusion: Delusion of exaggerated self-importance, power or identity.
  • Delusion of reference: Delusion that some events and others‟ behaviour refer to oneself.
      • “Idea of Reference”: misattribution of events as referring to oneself.
  • Delusion of jealousy: Delusion that a loved person (wife/husband) is unfaithful (infidelity delusion).
  • Delusions of love (‘fantasy lover’,  ‘erotomania’): Delusion that someone, (usually inaccessible, high social class person) is deeply in love with the patient.
  • Nihilistic delusion: Delusion of nonexistence of self, part of the body, belongings, others or the world.
  •  Delusion of self - accusation: Delusion that a patient has done something sinful, with excessive feeling of remorse and guilt.
  • Delusion of influence: Delusion that person’s thoughts, actions, or feelings are controlled by outside forces.
  • Passivity phenomena: person reports being made feel, made think or made act.
  • Delusions of Replacement (Capgras Syndrome): a belief that important people in one's life have been replaced by impostors.
Delusions can be either :
  • Mood-Congruent Delusion – Delusional content has association to mood:
- in depressed mood: delusion of self - accusation.
- in elevated mood: grandiose delusion.
  • Mood-Incongruent Delusions –   Delusional content has no association to mood, e.g. patient with elevated mood has delusion of thought insertion.
Delusions can also be either:
  • Systematized Delusion - Delusion united by a single event or theme e.g. delusion of jealousy/thematically well connected with each other.
  • Bizarre Delusion - Totally odd and strange delusional belief, e.g. delusion that person’s acts are controlled by stars.
D. Abnormalities of Possession of thought
  • Obsessions:
    • Repetitive ideas, images, feelings or urges insistently entering person’s mind despite resistance. They are unwanted, distressful and recognized as senseless and irrational. Obsessions are frequently followed by compelling actions (compulsions)
  • Common Obsessional Contents:
    •  dirt/contamination/cleaning
    •  orderliness/symmetry
    •  doubts/checking/counting
    •  aggressive impulses/inappropriate acts
    •  religion (blasphemous thoughts)
    •  ruminations: obsessional thoughts.
    •  rituals: certain repeated compulsions.
  • Thought Alienation:
    • Thought Insertion: Delusion that some of person’s thoughts being put into the mind by an external force (other people, certain agency).
    • Thought Withdrawal: Delusion that some of person’s thoughts being taken out of the mind.
    • Thought Broadcasting: Delusion that others can read or hear the person’s thoughts, as they are broadcast over the air, radio or some other unusual way.
  • Dysmorphophobia: a type overvalued idea where the patient believes one aspect of his body is abnormal or conspicuously deformed.
References
  1. Psychiatry, Third Edition. Edited by Allan Tasman, Jerald Kay, Jeffrey A. Lieberman, Michael B. First and Mario Maj. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2008.
  2. Sims, A. Symptoms in the Mind: An Introduction to Descriptive Psychopathology (3rd ed). Elsevier, 2002.
  3. Fish, F. Clinical Psychopathology, Signs and Symptoms in Psychiatry. Bristol: J. Wright & Sons. 1967.

ABNORMALITIES OF PERCEPTION

  • Hyperaesthesia: Increased intensity of sensations, seen in intense emotions and hypochondriacal personalities
  • Illusions: Misperceptions or misinterpretations of real external sensory stimuli: e.g. Shadows may be misperceived as frightening figures.
  • Hallucinations: Perception in the absence of real external stimuli; experienced as true perception coming from the external word (not within the mind). e.g. hearing a voice of someone when actually nobody is speaking within the hearing distance.
    • Auditory hallucinations (voice, sound, noise).
      • Second-person hallucinations: voice speaking to the person addressing him as “you”.
      • Third-person hallucinations: voice talking about the person as “he” or “she”:
      • Thought echo: hearing one’s own thoughts spoken aloud.
    • Visual hallucinations (images/sights)
    • Olfactory hallucinations (smell/odour)
    • Gustatory hallucinations (taste)
    • Tactile hallucinations (touch/surface sensations)
    • Somatic hallucinations (visceral and other internal sensations).
  • Imperative hallucination: voices giving instructions to patients, who may or may not feel obliged to carry them out.
  • ‘Thought echo’ (Gedankenlautwerden): hearing one’s own thoughts being spoken aloud; the voice may come from inside or outside the head.
  • Running commentary hallucinations: are usually abusive and often talk about sexual topics.
  • Scenic hallucinations:   hallucinations in which whole scenes are hallucinated like a cinema film; more common in psychiatric disorders associated with epilepsy.
  • Lilliputian hallucinations:  micropsia affects the visual hallucinations, so the pt. sees tiny people.
  • ‘Formication’: a feeling that animals are crawling over the body; not uncommon in acute organic states.
  • ‘Cocaine bug’: formication occurring with delusions of persecution; in cocaine psychosis.
  • Functional hallucinations: a stimulus causes the hallucination, but it is experienced as well as the hallucination. Seen in chronic schizophrenia
  • Reflex hallucinations: a stimulus in one sensory field produces a hallucination in another.
  • Extracampine hallucinations:  a hallucination which is outside the limits of the sensory field.
  • Autoscopy (phantom mirror image): the pt. sees himself and knows that it is he. Seen in normal subjects when they are depressed or emotionally disturbed.
  • ‘Negative autoscopy’:  the pt. looks in the mirror and sees no image; in organic states.
  • Internal autoscopy: the subject sees his own internal organs.
  • Pseudo-Hallucinations: Sensory deceptions perceived as emanating from within the mind.
  • Hypnagogic hallucinations: hallucinations when falling asleep
  • Hypnopompic hallucinations: hallucinations when waking from sleep
References
  1. Psychiatry, Third Edition. Edited by Allan Tasman, Jerald Kay, Jeffrey A. Lieberman, Michael B. First and Mario Maj. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2008.
  2. Sims, A. Symptoms in the Mind: An Introduction to Descriptive Psychopathology (3rd ed). Elsevier, 2002.
  3. Fish, F. Clinical Psychopathology, Signs and Symptoms in Psychiatry. Bristol: J. Wright & Sons. 1967.

Psychiatric Nursing Profession in India

Top Mental Health Institutions
  • National Institute of Mental health and Neurisciences, Banglore
  • Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi
  • Ranchi Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Allied Sciences(RINPAS)
  • Vidya Sagar Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, New Delhi
  • CMC Vellore, Psychiatry- Mental Health Centre
  • Institute of Psychiatry, Kilpak, Chennai
  • Institute of Mental Health, Agra
  • Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscienes (IMHANS), Calicut, Kerala
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Psychiatry
  • Kasturba Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Manipal
  • Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam
  • Mental Health Facilities in Kerala
    1. Govt. Mental Health Centre, Calicut, Kerala
    2. Govt. Mental Health Centre, Thrissur, Kerala
    3. Govt. Mental Health Centre, Trivandrum, Kerala
  • Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences (IHBAS)
  • Mental Health Treatment Facilities in Tamilnadu
 
Psychiatric Nursing Courses
  • Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing
  • Master of Science in Nursing
  • PhD in Psychiatric Nursing
  • Certificate Courses
Top Psychiatric Nursing Training Institutions
MSc.Nursing
  • National Institute of Mental health and Neurisciences, Banglore: Department of Nursing
  • CMC Vellore, College of Nursing
  • Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal University
  • AIIMS, New Delhi
  • Father Muller's College of Nursing, Manglore
  • Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam
Diploma In Psychiatric Nursing
  • Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Jharkhand
  • National Institute of Mental health and Neurisciences, Banglore: Department of Nursing
  • Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH), Tejpur, Assam.
Psychiatric Nursing Organizations
  • Indian Society for Psychiatric Nurses
  • Mental health Act, 1987
  • The Disability Network India
  • Kerala State Mental Health Authority
Organizations on Mental Health
  • Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), Chennai
  • Indian Psychiatric Society
  • Rehabilitation Council of India
  • CNS India on Depression, Epilepsy & Sleep
  • World Psychiatric Association
  • Canadian Psychiatric Society
  • American Psychiatric Association
  • National Institute of Mental Health

Nursing Process in Psychiatric Nursing

Introduction
  • The nursing process is an interactive, problem-solving process. It is systematic and individualized way to achieve outcome of nursing care.
  • The nursing process respects the individual’s autonomy and freedom to make decisions and be involved in nursing care.
  • The nursing process is accepted by the nursing profession as a standard
    for providing ongoing nursing care that is adapted to individual client needs.
  • The nurse and the patient emerge as partner in a relationship built on trust and directed toward maximising the patient’s strengths, maintaining integrity, and promoting adaptive response to stress.
  • In dealing with psychiatric patients, the nursing process can present unique challenges.
  • Emotional problems may be vague, not visible like many physiological disruptions.
  • Emotional problems can also show different symptoms and arise from a number of causes. Similarly, past events may lead to very different form of present behaviours. Many psychiatric patients are unable to describe their problems.
  • They may be highly withdrawn, highly anxious, ,or out of touch with reality.
  • Their ability to participate in the problem solving process may also be limited if they see themselves as powerless.
Nursing process aims at individualized care to the patient and the care is adapted to patient’s unique needs. Nursing process the following steps;
  • Assessment
  • Nursing Diagnosis
  • Outcome Identification
  • Planning
  • Implementation  and
  • Evaluation
Assessment
Individualized care begins with a detailed assessment as soon as the patient is admitted. In the Assessment phase, information is obtained the patient in a direct and structured manner through observation, interviews and examination. Initial interview includes an evaluation of mental status. In such cases, where the patient is too ill to participate in or complete the interview, the behaviour the patient exhibits to be recorded and reports from  family members if possible, can obtained. Even when the initial assessment is complete, each encounter with the patient involves a continuing assessment .The ongoing assessment involves what patient is saying or doing at that moment.

HEALTH HISTORY AND PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
  1. Client’s complaint, present symptom and focus of concern
  2. Perceptions and expectations
  3. Previous hospitalizations and   mental health treatment
  4. Family history
  5. Health beliefs and practices
  6. Substance use
  7. Sexual history
  8. Abuse
  9. Spiritual
  10. Basic needs (diet, exercise, sleep, elimination)
  11. Sociocultural
  12. Coping patterns
  13. Self-esteem
  14. Medical Examination
  15. Diagnostic Investigations
  16. Mental Status Examination
Subjective Data Objective Data
  • Name and general information about the
    client
  • Client’s perception of current stressor or
    problem
  • Current occupational or work situation
  • Any recent difficulty in relationships
  • Any somatic complaints
  • Current or past substance use
  • Interests or activities previously enjoyed
  • Sexual activity or difficulties
  • Physical exam
  • Behavior
  • Mood and affect
  • Awareness
  • Thought processes
  • Appearance
  • Activity
  • Judgment
  • Response to environment
  • Perceptual ability

When the nurse investigates a patient’s specific behaviour, it is valuable to explore the following,
  • Situation that precipitated that behaviour
  • What the patient was thinking at that moment?
  • Whether that behaviour makes any sense in that context?
  • Whether the behaviour was adaptive or dysfunctional?
  • Whether a change is needed?
If the nurse has to interview the patient she should select a private place, free from noise and distraction and interview should be goal directed. Although the patient is a  regarded as a source of validation , the nurse should also be prepared to consult with family members or other people  knowledgeable about the patient. This is particularly important when the patient is unable to provide reliable information because the symptoms of the psychiatric illness. She should gather Information from other information sources, including health care records, nursing rounds, change- of shifts, nursing care plans and evaluation of other health care professionals.

Nursing Diagnosis
  • After collecting all data, the nurse compares the information and then analyses the data and derives a nursing diagnosis.
  • A nursing diagnosis is a statement of the patient’s nursing problem that includes both the adaptive and maladaptive health responses and contributing stressors.
  • These nursing problems concern patient’s health aspects that may need to be promoted or with which the patient needs help.
  • A nursing diagnosis may be an actual or potential health problem, depending on the situation.
  • The most commonly used standard is that of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA).
A nursing diagnostic statement consists of three parts:
  • Health problem
  • Contributing factors
  • Defining characteristics
The defining characteristics are helpful because they reflect the behaviour that are the target of nursing intervention .They also provide specific indicators for evaluating the outcome of psychiatric nursing interventions and for determining whether the expected goals  of the nursing care were met.
Example:
  • If a patient is making statements about dying, he is isolative, anorexic, cannot sleep and wants to die. Then the nursing diagnosis can be-
  • Helplessness, related to physical complaints, as evidenced by decreased appetite and verbal cues indicating despondency.
  • Fatigue related to insomnia, as evidenced by  an increases in physical complaints and disinterest in surroundings.
  • Social isolation , related to anxiety, as evidenced by withdrawal  and  uncommunicative behaviour.
Outcome Identification
The psychiatric mental health nurse identifies expected outcomes individualised to the patient.  Within the context of providing nursing care, the ultimate goal is to influence health outcomes and improve the patient’s health status. Outcomes should be mutually identified with the patient, and should be identified as clearly as clearly and determine the effectiveness and efficiency of their interventions.
Before defining expected outcomes, the nurse must realize that patient often seek treatment with goals of their own. These goals may be expressed as relieving symptoms or improving functional ability. The nurse must understand the patient’s coping response and the factors that influence them. Some of these difficulties in defining goals are as follows-
  • The patient may view a personal problem as someone else’s behaviour.
  • The patient may express a problem as feeling, such as “I am lonely” or “I am so unhappy”.
Clarifying goals is an essential step in the therapeutic process. Therefore the patient nurse relationship should be based upon mutually agreed goals. Once the goals are a greed on they must be stated in writing .Goals should be written in behavioural terms, and should be realistically described what the nurse wishes to accomplish within a specific time span. Expected outcomes and short term goals should be developed with short tem objectives contributing to the  long term expected outcomes.
Example of short term goals:
  • At the end of the two weeks patients will stay out of bed and participate in activities
  • At the end of the one week patient will sleep well at night.
  • At the end of the one week patient will eat properly and maintain weight.
Planning
As soon as the patient‘s problems are identified, nursing diagnosis made, planning nursing care begins.
The planning consists of:
  • Determining priorities
  • Setting goals
  • Selecting nursing actions
  • Developing /writing nursing care plan
In planning the care the nurse can involve the patient, family, members of the health team. Once the goals are chosen    the next task is to outline the plan achieving them. On the basis of an analysis, the nurse decides which problem requires priority attention or immediate attention. Goals stated indicates as to what is to be achieved if the identified problem is taken care of. These can be immediate short-term and long- term goals. The nursing action technique chosen will enable the nurse to meet the goals or desired objectives. For example, the short-terms for a depressed patient is  "to pursue him or her take bath”. The nursing action may be  “The nurse firmly direct the patient  to get   up and finish her/his bath before 8 O’ clock. On persuasion the patient takes bath. This is an example of selection of the nursing action. Writing or recording of the problems, goals, and nursing actions is a nursing care plan.

Implementation
The implementation phase of the nursing process is the actual initiation of the nursing care plan. Patient outcome/goals are achieved by he performance of the nursing interventions. During the phase the nurse continues to assess the patient  to determine  whether interventions are effective. An important part of this phase is documentation. Documentation is necessary for legal reasons because in legal dispute “if it wasn’t charted, it wasn’t done". The nursing interventions are designed to prevent mental and physical illness and promote, maintain, and restore mental and physical health. The nurse may select interventions according to their level of practice. She may select counselling, milieu therapy, self-care activities, psychological interventions, health teaching, case management, health promotion and health maintenance and other approaches to meet the mental health care needs of the patient.
To implement the actions, nurses need to have intellectual, interpersonal and technical skills.
Nursing actions are of two types-
  1. Dependent nursing action: Action derived from the advice from the psychiatrist. For example, giving medicines.
  2. Independent nursing actions: This is based on nursing diagnosis and plan of care, pursuing the patient to attend to personal hygiene.
Evaluation
The continuous or ongoing phase of nursing process is evaluation. Nursing care is a dynamic process involving change in the patient’s health status over time, giving rise to the need of new data, different diagnosis, and modifications in the plan of care.
When evaluating care the nurse should review all previous phases of the nursing process and determine whether expected outcome for the patient have been met. This can be done checking –have I done everything for my patient? Is my patient better after the planned care? .Evaluation is a feed back mechanism for judging the quality of care given. Evaluation of the patient’s progress indicates what problems of the patient have been solved , which need to be assessed  again, replanted, implemented and re-evaluated.

Components of Assessment
Mental Status Examination
Appearance
  • Dress, grooming, hygiene, cosmetics, apparent age, posture, facial expression.
Behaviour/activity
  •  Hyperactivity or hyperactivity, rigid, relaxed, restless, or agitated motor movements, gait and coordination, facial grimacing, gestures, mannerisms,, passive , combative, bizarre.
Attitude
  • Interactions with interviewer: - Cooperative, resistive, friendly, hostile, ingratiating
  • Speech-Quantity: - poverty of speech, poverty of content, volume.
  • Quality: - articulate, congruent, monotonous, talkative, repetitious,  spontaneous, circumstantial, confabulation,  tangential and pressured
  • Rate:-slowed, rapid
Mood and affect
  • Mood (Intensity depth duration):- sad, fearful, depressed, angry, anxious,  ambivalent, happy, ecstatic, grandiose.
  • Affect (Intensity depth duration) :- appropriate, apathetic, constricted, blunted, flat, labile, euphoric.
Perception
  • Hallucination, illusions, depersonalization, derealization, distortions
Thoughts
  • Form and content-logical vs. illogical, loose associations,  flight of ideas, autistic, blocking., broadcasting,  neologisms,  word salad, obsessions, ruminations, delusions, abstract  vs. concrete
Sensorium and Cognition
  • Level of consciousness, orientation, attention span, , recent and remote memory, concentration, , ability to comprehend and process information, intelligence
Judgment
  • Ability to assess and evaluate situations makes rational decisions, understand consequence of behaviour, and take responsibly for actions
Insight
  • Ability to perceive and understand the cause and nature of own and other’s situatio
Reliability
  • Interviewer’s impression that individual reported  information accurately and completely
Psychosocial Criteria
  • Internal:-Psychiatric or medical illness, perceived loss such as loss of self concept/self-esteem
  • External:-Actual loss, e.g. death of loved ones, diverse, lack of support systems, job or financial loss, retirement of dysfunctional family system
Coping skills
  • Adaptation to internal and external stressors, use of functional, adaptive coping mechanisms,  and techniques, management of activities of daily living
Relationships
  • Attainment and maintenance of satisfying, interpersonal relationships congruent with developmental stages, including sexual relationship as appropriate for age and status
Cultural
  • Ability to adapt and conform to present norms, rules, ethics.
Spiritual (Value-belief)
  • Presence of self-satisfying value-belief system that the individual regards as right, desirable, worthwhile, and comforting
Occupational
  • Engagement is useful, rewarding activity, congruent with developmental stages and societal standards (work, school and recreation)
Sample of Nursing Care Plan
Sample of Nursing Diagnoses (As per NANDA- North American Nursing Diagnosis Association)
Nursing Diagnosis Analysis
1 Risk for injury related to accelerated motor activity Accelerated motor activity or impulsive actions
2 Disturbed thought process related to impaired judgement associated with manic behaviour Judgement impaired , mood of elation (patient is using inappropriate dress and bizarre dressing)
3 Self-care deficit (unkempt appearance)  related to hyperactivity Unable to take time for self-care  is, dishevelled and unkempt
4 Impaired  verbal communication –flight of ideas related to accelerated thinking Accelerated speech with flight of ideas (thought speeded up causing rapid speech and flight of ideas, excessive  planning  for activities
5 Ineffective  coping related to  elated expressive mood Euphoria, elation, cheerfulness( an exaggerated sense of well being)
6 Disturbed thought process –grandiosity related to  elevated mood Grandiosity-inflation self-esteem
7 Ineffective coping related to emotional liability  associated with manic behaviour Emotional  labiality (unstable mood moves from cheerfulness to irritation easily with little irritation
8 Disturbed thought process –related to delusion of  grandeur Grandiose delusions (Belief that well known political religious, or entertainment leader)
9 Disturbed thought process decreased attention span and difficulty in concentration  related to accelerated thinking Short attention  span, difficulty in concentrating , easily disturbed
10 Risk for violence related to hostile and angry behaviour Hostile comment and complaints
11 Impaired verbal communication related to pressure of speech Accelerated thinking, highly responsive to environmental stimuli, accompanying flight of ideas
12
  • Nutrition: less than body requirements, imbalanced
  • Nutrition: more than body requirements, imbalanced
  • Nutrition: risk for more than body requirements, imbalanced
Weight loss (less food intake associated with depression which contributes to loss of appetite with weight loss/weight gain following pharmacological management/possible wieght gain
13 Self-care deficit-neglect of personal hygiene  related to depression Neglect of personal hygiene (feeling of worthlessness  associated with depression which contribute to lack of interest in personal hygiene
14 Health Maintenance, ineffective –psychomotor retardation related to depression Extreme slowness in performing activity
15 Risk for violence- self-directed, related  to depression Bruises, cuts, scars, (possible destructive  behaviour or abuse by others)
16 Anxiety –neurological symptoms related to depression Extreme nervousness (possible response to loss with symptoms to those of anxiety)
17 Risk for violencerm Suicidal feeling  (Hopelessness contributes to total despair
18 Sensory perceptual alteration –disorientation about time, place, and person  related to increased anxiety Confusion or disorientation
19 Ineffective coping –obsessive thinking related to  anxiety Anxiety (Increased anxiety unapparent and discharge  through  obsessive thinking)
20 Impaired Social interactions –inability to form warm, meaningful relationships, related to compulsive behaviour Lacks ability to develop warm  relationship ( has limited ability to express emotion)
21 Ineffective coping –compulsion related to need for excessive cleanliness) Excessive cleanliness (Over  emphasis for cleanliness and neatness)
22 Potential for self harm related to poor impulse control associated with substance abuse) Poor impulse control
23 Potential for self-harm related to marked disorientation , disorganization, and confusion Disorientation, disorganization  and confusion (If marked , patient is at high suicidal risk)
24 Distarbance of self-concept-insecurity related to suspiciousness Insecurity, oversensitive, Failure to meet needs results in mistrust and  insecurity
25 Potential for violence  directed towards others related t perceived  threat or injustice to himself Anger and hostility –may become physically violent (Overly concerned with protecting himself from environment : overly sensitive)
25 Ineffective individual coping persecutory feeling related to mistrust Feeling of being misjudged , conspired against, spied upon , followed , poisoned, dragged, obstructed in achieving long term goals.

Nursing Diagnosis: Risk for violence, self directed.
Risk factors-Chronic illness, retirement, change in marital status
Patient Outcome Nursing Intervention with Rationale Evaluation
Patient will not harm himself

Patient will refrain from suicidal threats or behaviour gestures.
He will deny any plans for suicide
Observe patient’s behaviour during routine patient care. Close observation is necessary to protect from self harm.
Listen carefully suicidal statements and observe for non-verbal indications of suicidal intent. Such behaviours are critical clues regarding risk for self harm.

Ask direct questions to determine suicidal intent , plans for suicide, and means to commit suicide .Suicide risk increases when  plans and means exists
Patient remained safe, unharmed.


Absence of verbalized or behavioural indications of suicidal intent by the patient.

Patient denies active suicide plans

Nursing Diagnosis: Ineffective individual coping, related to response crisis (retirement), as evidence by isolative behaviour, changes in mood, and decreased sense of well-being.
Patient Outcome Nursing Intervention with Rationale Evaluation
Patient will identify positive coping strategies, such as structuring leisure time.

Patient will combine past effective coping methods with newly acquired coping strategies
Develop trusting relationship with patient to demonstrate caring and, encourage patient to practice new skills in a safe therapeutic setting.
                             
Praise patient for adaptive coping. Positive feedback encourages repetition of effective coping by patient
Patient expresses trust in nurse-patient relationship.


Patient discusses plans for use of past and newly learned coping methods.

Nursing Diagnosis: Self-care deficit (grooming, dressing, and feeding) related to manic hyperactivity, difficulty in concentrating and making decisions: as evidenced by inappropriate dress, and dysfunctional eating habits.
Patient Outcome
Nursing Intervention with Rationale
Evaluation
Patient will dress appropriately for age and status.


 
Patient will eat and drink adequately to sustain fluid balance and  proper nutrition.
Offer assistance for selecting clothing and grooming to provide input and direction for appropriateness of dress and hygiene to preserve self-esteem and avoid embracement. 
Encourage and remind patient to drink fluid and to eat food to focus the patient on necessary feeding activities , to prevent dehydration and starvation.
Provide recognition and positive reinforcement for feeding/dressing accomplishments to reinforce appropriate behaviours and enhance self-esteem.
Patient dresses self appropriately and maintains hygiene.



Patient eats and drinks fluids necessarily to maintain physical health.
  
References:
  1. Ladwig, A.(1999).Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, A Guide for Planning Care. Section 1:5
  2. Kapoor, B. (1994). A Text Book for Psychiatric Nursing: Chapter5, Page 223-224.
  3. Foortinash, Hoolodey-Warrant. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, 1996: Chapter 20, page 279, 482.
  4. Gail.W.Stuart, Michal T. Laraiya. Principles and Practice of Psychiatric Nursing 1998: Chapter 10, Page 178.
  5. Katherine N Fortinash, Patrica N Hooliday-Worret. Psychiatric Nursing Care Plans 1991: Chapter 1, Page 1.

Nursing Management of Sleep Disorders

INTRODUCTION
Sleep is the state of natural rest observed throughout the animal kingdom, in all mammals and birds, and in many reptiles, amphibians, and fish. In humans, other mammals, and many other animals that have been studied - such as fish, birds, ants, and fruit-flies - regular sleep is necessary for survival. The capability for arousal from sleep is a protective mechanism and also necessary for health and survival.

DEFINITION
Sleep can e defined as a normal state of altered consciousness during which the body rests; it is characterized by decreased responsiveness to the environment, and a person can be aroused from it by external stimuli.

INCIDENCE & CHARACTERISTICS:
Sleep is generally characterized by a reduction in voluntary body movement, temporary blindness, decreased reaction to external stimuli, loss of consciousness, a reduction in audio receptivity, an increased rate of anabolism (the synthesis of cell structures), and a decreased rate of catabolism (the breakdown of cell structures.
Almost a third of the general population has some problems with sleep during any given year. More than half of the 9000 participants in a study of sleep in elderly persons (65 years or older) reported the following as sleep pattern disturbance that they experience most of the time:
  • Trouble falling asleep
  • Frequent awakening
  • Waking too early
  • Needing to nap
  • Not feeling rested
These disturbances may be secondary to situational, environmental or developmental stressors, or they may be associated with illness or with pre-existing disorders. The relationship is often reciprocal, in that the disorder decreases sleep & the decreased sleep affects the disorder.

CHRONOBIOLOGY
Chronobiology refers to the study of biologic changes as they occur in relation to time. The sleep wake cycle is one of the circadian rhythms of the body. Circadian rhythms follow an approximate 24 hour cycle through a complex process linked to light & dark.  The effect of illness & hospitalization may disrupt these rhythms, particularly in older persons. Ultradian cycles are circadian rhythms of less than 24 hours. The recurrent pattern of sleep stages, repeating approximately 90 minutes in adults, is an example. Chronopharmacology refers to the study of how biorhythms affect the absorption, metabolism, & excretion of drugs. E.g.the blood level achieved by a continuous infusion of heparin varies throughout the day.

PHYSIOLOGY OF SLEEP:
The timing of sleep- wake cycle & other circadian rhythms, such as body temperature, is controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the anterior hypothalamus. Located above the optic chiasm, this area receives input from the retina, which provides information about darkness & light. The suprachiasmatic nucleus controls the production of melatonin, which is believed to be a potent sleep inducer.
Arousal from sleep, wakefulness and the ability to respond to stimuli rely on an intact reticular activating system (RAS). The RAS is located in the brain stem & contains projections to the thalamus & the cortex. The diffuse network of neurons in the RAS is in a strategic position to monitor ascending and descending stimuli through feedback loops.
Although the RAS provides anatomic framework for arousal, it is the neurotransmitters that serve as the chemical messengers. The onset of sleep and of each subsequent sleep stage is an active process involving delicate shifts in the balance of several of these neurotransmitters.
The transition from wake state to non- rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep is marked by decreases in the concentrations of serotonin, norepinephrine, and acetyl choline. The later transition to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is marked by a dramatic increase in acetylcholine and further decrease in serotonin and norepinephrine. As REM sleep continues, the concentrations of serotonin and norepinephrine increase, eventually stopping REM sleep. Cholinergic activation with the release of acetylcholine seems to re-establish REM sleep. The continuous interaction of these 2 systems is thought to produce the normal alterations between NREM and REM sleep. Other neurotransmitters, such as gamma- amino butyric acid (GABA) and dopamine are also believed to have a part in the reciprocal processes involved in shifts in sleep state.  All of these neurotransmitters are actively involved in the waking process as well.

STAGES OF SLEEP
Sleep can be defined behaviorally, functionally and electro physiologically.  Electro physiologic monitoring of sleep is called Polysomnography includes at least 3 parameters L1) brain wave activity, (2) eye movements and (3) muscle tone. Polysomnography shows that sleep can be divided into REM and NREM.  NREM sleep can be further divided into 4 stages. The stages vary in depth, but are characterized by slow rolling eye movements, low level and fragmented cognitive activity, maintenance of moderate muscle tone, and slower, but generally rhythmic respirations and pulse rate.
NREM sleep is characterized as follows:
Stage 1:
  • includes lightest level of sleep
  • stage lasts a few minutes
  • decreased physiological activity begins with gradual fall in vital signs and metabolism
  • sensory stimuli such as noise, easily arouse sleeper
  • if awakened, person feels as though daydreaming has occurred
Stage 2:
  • includes period of sound sleep
  • relaxation progresses
  • arousal is still relatively easy
  • stage lasts 10 – 20 mts
  • body functions continue to slow
  • the brain waves are frequently mixed and low voltage in pattern, with bursts of activity called sleep spindles  and large amplitude waves called K complexes
Stage 3:
  • it involves initial stages of deep sleep
  • sleeper is difficult to arouse and rarely moves
  • oxygen consumption
  • muscles are completely relaxed
  • vital signs decline, but remain regular
  • stage lasts 15 – 30 mts
Stage 4:
  • it is deepest stage of sleep
  •  it is very difficult to arouse sleeper
  • If sleep loss has occurred, sleeper will spend considerable portion  of night in this stage
  • Vital signs are significantly lower than during waking hours
  • Stage lasts approximately 15 – 30 mts
  • Sleep walking and enuresis  sometimes occur
  • Stage 3 and 4 known as slow wave sleep, named for the characteristic high voltage and low – frequency delta waves
REM sleep:
  • Vivid, full- color dreaming occurs
  • Stage usually begins about 90 mts after sleep has begun
  • Stage typified by autonomic responses of rapidly  moving eyes, fluctuating heart and respiratory rates, and increased or fluctuating blood pressure
  • Loss of skeletal muscle tone occurs
  • Gastric secretion increase
  • It is very difficult to arouse sleeper
  • Duration of REM sleep increases with each cycle and averages 20 mts
  • Stage is characterized by low voltage, random fast waves, as in stage 1 NREM
SLEEP CYCLE
Normally an adult’s routine sleep pattern begins with a pre-sleep period during which the person is aware only of a gradually developing sleepiness. This period normally lasts 10 – 30 mts. individuals experiencing difficulty in falling asleep often remain in this stage for an hour or more.
Once asleep, the person passes through 4 – 6 complete sleep cycles; each consists of 4 stages of NREM sleep and a period of REM sleep. The cyclical pattern usually progresses from stage 1 through stage 4 of NREM, followed by a reversal from stage 4 to 3 to 2, ending with a period of REM sleep.
                   
With each successive cycle, stages 3 and 4 of NREM sleep shorten and the period of REM lengthens. REM sleep lasts up to 60 mts during the last sleep cycle. The number of sleep cycle depends on the amount of time that the person spends sleeping, in an average of 90 mts.    

FUNCTIONS OF SLEEP
The purpose of sleep is still unclear. Theories suggest that:
  • It is a time of restoration and preparation for the next period of wakefulness
  • During NREM stage 4 body releases human growth hormone for the repair and renewal of epithelial and specialized cells such as brain cells
  • Protein synthesis and cell division for the renewal of tissues occur during rest and sleep
  • REM sleep appears to be important for cognitive restoration
The benefits of sleep often go unnoticed until a person develops a problem resulting from sleep deprivation. A loss of REM sleep leads to feelings of confusion. Various body functions ( eg. Motor performance, memory and immune function) alter when prolonged sleep loss occurs

NORMAL SLEEP REQUIREMENTS & PATTERNS
Sleep duration and quality vary among persons of all age groups
  • Infants            16 Hours /Day
  • Toddlers          12 Hours /Day
  • Preschoolers     11 Hours /Day
  • Schoolers         9 - 10 hours /day
  • Adolescents      8 – 9  hours /day
  • Adults              6 – 8  hours /day
As people age, their circadian clock advances, causing advanced sleep phase syndrome. The syndrome is common in older adults and often is the reason behind the complaint of waking early in the morning and unable to get back to sleep. They get sleepy early in the evening.

FACTORS AFFECTING SLEEP
A number of factors affect the quality and quantity of of sleep. Often more than one factor combined to cause a sleep problem.
  • Physical illness (eg. Nausea, mood disorders, breathing difficulty, pain)
  • Drugs and substances (eg. Tryptophan)
  • Lifestyle (eg. Daily routines, exercises)
  • Usual sleep patterns and excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Emotional stress
  • Environment ( ventilation)
  • Sound
  • Exercise and fatigue
  • Food and caloric intake
SLEEP DISORDERS
Sleep pattern disturbance is a nursing diagnosis that is defined as a disruption of sleep time that causes discomfort or interferes with a desired life cycle. A sleep pattern disturbance may be related to one of more than 80 sleep disorders identified in the international classification of sleep disorders, a partial list of which is given below:
International classification of sleep disorders
Dyssomnias
Intrinsic sleep disorders
  • Psycho physiologic insomnia
  • Narcolepsy
  • Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
  • Central sleep apnea syndrome
  • Periodic limb movement disorder
  • Restless leg syndrome
Extrinsic sleep disorders
  • Inadequate sleep hygiene
  • Environmental sleep disorder
Circadian rhythm sleep disorders
Parasomnias
Arousal disorders
  • Sleep walking
  • Sleep terrors
Sleep – wake transition disorders
Parasomnias usually associated with  REM sleep
  • Nightmares
  • Sleep paralysis
Other Parasomnias
  • Sleep bruxism
  • Sleep enuresis
  • Primary snoring
Sleep disorders associated with medical or psychiatric disorders
Associated with mental disorders
Associated with neurologic disorders
Associated with medical disorders
Proposed sleep disorders

I, DYSSOMNIAS
The Dyssomnias include sleep disorders characterized by difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep (insomnia) or by excessive sleepiness. These disorders may arise predominantly from within the body (intrinsic), from external sources (extrinsic), or from disruption of circadian rhythm.

A. Intrinsic sleep disorders
1. Insomnia:
It is the persistent difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep. The difficulty does not respond readily to improved sleep habits or removal of precipitating factors. Idiopathic insomnia is a rare disorder characterized by a lifelong history of inability to obtain adequate sleep. Its cause is thought to be an abnormality in the neurologic control of sleep. Psycho physiologic insomnia is more common and is characterized by learned sleep – preventing associations and heightened physiologic response to stress. It can be confirmed by polysomnographic recording, which usually shows the same pattern of long sleep latency or fragmentation that the client describes. The total sleep time is often within normal range but is felt to be inadequate. They will fall asleep unintentionally in low stimulus situations, such as watching TV, but feel increased arousal when they go to bed. It is difficult to get sleep in places , other than their usual bedroom.
Management of insomnia is complex. Sleep should be restricted by curtailing time bed to the minimum believed necessary with a consistent rising time. Relaxation exercises can be helpful, but they should initially be practiced at times other than bedtime so that by the time they are introduced at bedtime, they are effective. Referral to a sleep specialist or mental health professional who can work with the client over a period of time should be considered.

2. Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is one of the disorders characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness. The client also experiences disturbed nocturnal sleep and repeated episodes of almost irresistible daytime drowsiness followed by brief periods of sleep, especially when engaged in monotonous activities. Many Narcoleptic clients also experience cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone at times of unexpected emotion (eg. Fright). Malfunctioning of the mechanism controlling REM sleep leads to sleep paralysis for one to several minutes, and hypnagogic hallucinations i.e. Hallucinatory experiences that occur at sleep onset or awakening.
On polysomnography, the most characteristic finding is sleep onset REM periods. Narcolepsy is genetically related condition with autosomal dominance in some cases. The effects of disease on lifestyle are significant- many clients reporting episodes of having fallen asleep at work, while driving, or both
Medical management consists of low doses of stimulants to improve alertness and tricyclic antidepressants to control cataplexy. It is important that they maintain a regular schedule with adequate nocturnal sleep. Recommend regular naps at times when clients are prone to increased sleepiness. Safety is the major issue in these clients.

3, Sleep apnea syndrome:
Sleep apnea is characterized by cessation of breathing for 10 seconds or longer occuring at least 5 times / hour. Sleep apnea can be classified as obstructive and central nervous system apnea. A combination of the two may be seen.
Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome: In   Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome, respiratory efforts of the diaphragm and intercostals muscles are apparent but ineffective against a collapsed or obstructed upper airway. Snoring indicates partial obstruction. As hypoxia ensues; the person eventually awakens to breathe. The frequent awakenings impair the normal sleep cycle. Repeated micro arousals lead to daytime sleepiness.
Women are less likely than men to develop Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome, particularly before menopause. It is common among males who are obese with short, thick necks, and who are heavy snorers.  A much smaller percentage progresses to the classic pickwickian syndrome, characterized by obesity, severe sleep apnea, daytime hypercapnea, and cor pulmonale.
The application of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) by means of a face mask covering the nose is the treatment of choice for clients with moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome. The CPAP device provides room air under increased pressure, essentially providing a pressure splint to keep the upper airway open. It should be turned on whenever the client is ready to go to sleep and should be maintained throughout the sleep period. Clients may experience nasal congestion, air leak, pressure marks on the face, or pressure intolerance. People who use CPAP regularly should bring their units to the hospital with them. These clients need to be monitored when recovering from anesthesia, and when receiving narcotics because they are at risk for developing ineffective breathing patterns.
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is a common surgical procedure for reducing snoring. Resecting the uvula, the posterior part of the soft palate, tonsils and any excessive pharyngeal tissue, can reduce the propensity to obstruction. Tracheostomy may be required in severe Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome.
Central Sleep apnea syndrome: it is characterized by apneic periods during which no apparent respiratory effort occurs. It may be seen in stroke and brain stem involvement, but it is most commonly mixed with Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome. Cheyne- stokes respirations are common, and CPAP is the usual treatment.

4. Periodic limb movement disorder
It may also contribute to daytime sleepiness and frequent nocturnal wakening. Originally described as nocturnal myoclonus, it is characterized by periodic episodes of repetitive, stereotypic leg movements that occur during sleep, causing partial arousals. It is common in the elderly population. Clonazepam, a benzodiazepine, or baclofen, a skeletal muscle relaxant, may be ordered to diminish the magnitude of the movement and frequency of arousals. For some clients the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) before sleep has been helpful.

5. Restless leg syndrome:
Restless leg syndrome involves anything “crawling”, itching or tingling sensations of the leg while at rest and causes an almost irresistible urge to move. The syndrome is often most severe before sleep onset. Clients always have periodic limb movements during sleep. Treatment is similar to that of Periodic limb movement disorder.

B. Extrinsic sleep disorders
It encompasses a range of factors, from environmentally to chemically induced. Some environmental factors temporarily present during hospitalization.

1. Circadian rhythm sleep disorders
In the general population, the Circadian rhythm sleep disorders, such as time zone change syndrome and shift work sleep disorder are not uncommon. Elderly and chronically ill clients who live alone may be vulnerable to irregular sleep- wake patterns. In this disorder, prolonged ignoring or absence of external cues to time, such as regular meal timings, work periods and daylight leads to erratic periods of sleeping and wakefulness. Internal circadian cues may also be damped as a result of ageing or diffuse brain disease.
Management includes maintenance of regular schedule and exposure to natural sunlight.  Light therapy is being used to facilitate adjustments in Circadian rhythms. the usual dosage is about 5000 lux- hours, which may be taken as 2500 lux for 2 hours, 5000 lux for 1 hour, or 10,000 lux for 30 minutes. It should begin only under the guidance of a physician. Side effects include eyestrain, headache and irritability. Presence of retinopathy, glaucoma or cataract is a contraindication.

II. PARASOMNIAS:
The Parasomnias are disorders that occur during sleep but that usually do not produce insomnia or excessive sleepiness. It may be due to partial arousal or abnormalities in sleep-wake transition.

A. Arousal disorders
Partial arousal occur during slow- wave sleep. Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, may include semi purposeful behaviour, such as dressing. However the behaviour may be lacking in coordination and appropriateness, such as voiding in the closet. . The occurrence of sleep walking in adults is associated with anxiety. Sleep terrors are sudden arousals from slow wave sleep accompanied by screaming, tachycardia, tachypnea, diaphoresis, and other manifestations of fear. If awakened, the person is often disoriented and has little recall of the nature of the dream image. Sleep terrors usually occurs in young children.

B. Sleep-wake transition disorders
Sleep-wake transition disorders are common in the general population. Sleep starts refers to the sudden jerking movement of the legs that often occurs as a person is falling asleep. Nocturnal leg cramps also common. The frequency andand intensity may be greater with high caffeine intake, stress, or intense physical activity before going to bed. . Sleep talking also may occur during times of stress.

C. Parasomnias usually associated with  REM sleep
Nightmares are frightening dreams that arise in REM sleep and are often vividly recalled on awakening.  Sleep [paralysis is one of the classic signs of narcolepsy, but can occur in isolation.  This effect may be an extension of the normal state of low muscle tone during REM sleep.

D. Other Parasomnias
Other Parasomnias are not specifically associated with particular sleep stage. Sleep bruxism refers to grinding of the teeth during sleep and may lead to dental damage. Sleep enuresis, or bed wetting, may occur in adult in association with other disorders, such as Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome. Primary snoring is distinguished from Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome by its rhythmic nature without episodes of apnea or hypoventilation.

III. SLEEP DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

A. Neurotransmitter imbalances
Neurotransmitter imbalances predispose to sleep pattern disturbances. It is more common in case of Parkinson’s disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.  These imbalances may be disease related or drug – induced.

B. Head injury
Head injury of all degrees of severity affects sleep pattern. For clients in the confused, agitated stage of recovery that results from more severe head injury, use of environmental cues (e.g. light and darkness), regularity of daily schedule, and appropriate daytime exercise and activity can help to restore the sleep – wake cycle.

C. Hormonal imbalances
Hormonal imbalances also contribute to sleep pattern disorders. Hyperthyroid clients tend to have fragmented, short sleep periods with an excess of slow wave sleep. Hypothyroidism is characterized by excessive sleepiness, and polysomnographic recordings show a reduction in the proportion of slow- wave sleep. Clients with type 1 diabetes mellitus may experience hypoglycemic attacks during the night. Sleep patterns normally vary across the menstrual cycle in response to estrogen and progesterone levels. Women with premenstrual syndrome tend to have less slow- wave sleep throughout   the menstrual cycle than their asymptomatic peers. Postmenopausal women are at higher risk for experiencing snoring and Obstructive Sleep apnea syndrome.

D. Respiratory disorders
Chronic airway limitations such as asthma and emphysema contribute to difficulty in initiating sleep, frequent arousals with shortness of breath or cough, and chronic fatigue. Some medications such as theophylline preparations may contribute to insomnia.

E. Cardiovascular disorders
The Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, myocardial infarction, and nocturnal angina leads to Obstructive Sleep apnea , hypoxemia, frequent arousals, increased stage 1 sleep ,and reduced total sleep time.

F. Gastrointestinal disorders
In duodenal ulcer, gastric acid secretion is higher than average and recurrent awakenings with epigastric pain are common, especially in the first 4 hours and antacids needs to be administered. Advice to raise the head of the bed on blocks and to avoid eating within 3 hours of bedtime to avoid gastro esophageal reflux that may lead to esophagitis in severe cases.

G, Other disorders
Numerous Other disorders such as, skin conditions (atopic eczema), fibromyalgia, and seizures seem to have an effect on or an association with sleep.

IV. HOSPITAL ACQUIRED SLEEP DISTURBANCES
Clients in the hospital may report various types of sleep disturbances. The etiologic mechanism and intervention may differ from each other.

A. Sleep onset difficulty
It is because of the strange environment and the anxieties associated with illness and hospitalization. Environmental control, such as reduction of noiseand interruptions, and conservative relaxation measures, such as a back rub should be tried before resorting to a hypnotic agent

B. Sleep maintenance disturbance
It may be associated with substance use or withdrawal from a variety of medications and related substances. Alcohol hastens sleep onset but leads to awakening later in the night. Internal stimuli, such as pain, discomfort, and the urge to void are frequent disturbers of sleep. External stimuli include environmental factors, such as light, noise, temperature, as well as disruptions by other people. Nocturnal stimuli can be reduced by darkening the room, turn lights off, close curtains, reduce noise, adjust temperature by providing bed coverings, spacing necessary care giving activities, and by coordinating the nature and timings of interruptions by other care givers.

C. Early morning awakening
It occurs frequently among elderly. Sleep is disturbed in depression and delirium, and is grossly disturbed with frightening dreams, disorientation and restlessness.

D. Sleep deprivation
The noise level, 24 hour lighting, and frequency of care giver interruptions create sensory overload and sleep deprivation, which is thought to be a major factor contributing to postoperative psychosis.

ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
Diagnostic assessment:
  • Polysomnography
  • Electroencephalogram
  • Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT)
MSLT is performed to assess the impairment of daytime alertness. It is performed a day after a standard polysomnogram. The time required for clients to fall asleep when in a relaxed state is evaluated at 2 hour intervals, with each nap limited to 20 minutes.  The type of sleep also is assessed.

NURSING PROCESS
A. Assessment:  Assess client’s usual sleep habits and recent sleep quality as part of the initial nursing history. If sleep quality is reported to be poor, explore the nature of
disturbances by noting the following:
  • Usual activities in the hour before retrieving
  • Sleep latency
  • Number and perceived cause of awakenings
  • Regularity of sleep pattern
  • Consistency of rising time
  • Frequency and duration of naps
  • Events associated with initial onset of sleep disturbances
  • Ease of falling asleep in places other than the usual bedroom
  • Situations in which client fights sleepiness
  • Daily caffeine intake
  • Use of alcohol, sleeping pills,and other medications
  • Incidence of morning headaches
  • Frequency of snoring, apparent pauses in breathing, and kicking movements
  • Objective data may include visible signs of fatigue and lack of sleep, such as circles under the eyes, lack of coordination, drowsiness and irritability.
B. Nursing diagnosis:
1. Disturbed sleep pattern related to changes in routine due to hospitalization and pain
                                                     Or
Disturbed sleep pattern related to lack of cues for day- night schedule; manifested by erratic sleep schedule, frequent naps and nocturnal wandering

C. Client Outcome criteria:
client increases nocturnal sleep time by 20% over next 2 weeks.
D. Nursing intervention Rationale
*offer meals at regular times, corresponding to client’s previous pattern
*provide active meaningful activities during daytime hours, including exposure to natural light, and an outdoor environment when possible
*monitor frequency and duration of naps
  *create an individualized  bedtime ritual that includes a quieting activity, a light carbohydrate snack, going to the bathroom  and settling a routine
* Do not waken even if incontinent. Change and assist the client to the bathroom when he or she spontaneously awakens
*if turning or other care is necessary, try to provide for periods up to 2 hours of undisturbed sleep time whenever possible
*mealtimes are important social cues, that reinforce circadian rhythms, which tend to weaken with advancing age
*light exposure is communicated through  the retina to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, helping to set the circadian clock
*napping is not contraindicated but is best at the time of day opposite to the midpoint of the nocturnal sleep period. Short naps are preferable to avoid deep sleep
*reduced stimulation and rituals associated with sleep enhance  sleep onset
*older adults who can turn themselves generally do better to have their sleep undisturbed and tend to waken spontaneously if wet when their sleep cycle lightens
* Sleep cycles average 90 mts. A sleep latency of 20- 30 mts mean it would take about 2 hours to experience a full sleep cycle.
SUMMARY
The adequacy of sleep is important factor in caring for clients with acute and chronic illness. Some sleep disturbances are temporary and related to the stress of hospitalization. It is possible that temporary stress problems will be corrected only after the client’s return home. Clients with sleep disturbances may need follow –up care with repeated assessments to determine whether the problem was corrected. Clients with long term sleep disorders may need ongoing support to maintain the effectiveness of treatment. The nurse can play a pivotal role in environmental modification and client teaching to minimize the impact of sleep.

REFERENCES
  1. Black JM, Hawks JH. Medical Surgical Nursing clinical management for positive outcomes. Vol 1.7th edition. Saunders; India 2005 Pp 461-500.
  2. Potter PA, Perry AG. Basic nursing- essentials for practice. 6th edition. Missouri: Mosby publishers; 2007
  3. Brunner. Medical surgical nursing. 6th edition. London: Mosby publishers; 2005.
  4. Lewis SM, Heitkemper MM, Dirksen SR.  Medical surgical nursing. 6th edition. Philadelphia: Mosby publishers; 2004.
  5. Tylor C, Lillis C, Le Mone P. fundamentals of nursing- the art and science of nursing care. 5th edition. London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins publishers; 2006
  6. Lewis, Heitkemper, Dirksen. Medical Surgical nursing.6th edition. Mosby. Page no 131-157