Developing and Testing a Sleep Education Program for College Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: The need to educate the future nursing workforce to increase understanding of healthy sleep practices, adverse health consequences of impaired sleep, and common sleep disorders is pressing. Unfortunately, education about sleep and sleep disorders has not been part of established undergraduate nursing curricula.

Method: This study developed a sleep education program for college nursing students and tested its effect on knowledge about sleep and sleep disorders.

Results: With a total time commitment of 10 hours, this program included three sequential components: traditional in-classroom teaching, guided online virtual self-learning, and interactive simulation-based discussion. This innovative education program was implemented in a core course offered to senior nursing students in spring 2013, and demonstrated its effectiveness in improving knowledge about sleep and sleep disorders.

Conclusion: Translating into undergraduate nursing curriculum, it will lay a foundation for improving health care of patients and decreasing the health risks of nurses as care providers.