Relationships among perceptions of patient privacy, powerlessness, and subjective sleep characteristics in hospitalized adults with coronary heart disease

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationships among perceptions of privacy, powerlessness, and subjective sleep characteristics in hospitalized adults with coronary heart disease. Thirty subjects, 48 to 92 years old who were hospitalized for suspected or confirmed coronary heart disease, completed three questionnaires. Negative relationships were found between patient privacy and powerlessness (r = -.44) and between powerlessness and the subjective sleep characteristics of sleep effectiveness (r = -.30). Feelings of powerlessness were negatively related to total number of days of (r = -.50) and number of days in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) (r = -.41). The number of days in the CCU was positively related to sleep disturbance (r =.30). Age was negatively related to patient privacy (r = -31) but positively related to powerlessness (r =.33) and sleep supplementation (r =.35). A better understanding of the hospital environment enhances the planning of nursing care for hospitalized patients.