Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Sleep packs ease time in hospital
Patients staying overnight in Te Tauihu hospitals can now look forward to a better night’s sleep.
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough staff are offering overnight patients in adult wards at Nelson and Wairau Hospitals free sleep care packs, thanks to a donation from The Care Foundation.
The packs provide patients with eye masks and ear plugs to block out the busy atmosphere and aid recovery.
The idea of sleep packs in hospitals followed research by Dr Edward Palmer, previously the general medicine registrar of Nelson Hospital in 2021.
The research looked at whether eye masks and ear plugs, donated by Air New Zealand, would help patients sleep better in busy and bright wards.
His findings showed the use of the sleep care items improved patients’ sleep scores by 100%, along with improving their overall inpatient experience.
Palmer said a lack of sleep could have severe health implications, as well as being an inconvenience.
“In the hospital setting, it can lead to falls, delirium, poor recovery from surgery, infections, and poor retention of information given by staff to patients.
“It is my dream that hospital patients get the sleep they need.”
Following the The Care Foundation donation, the first bundles of sleep care packs were delivered to wards and are now aiding recovery.
Nelson Hospital registered nurse Kate Giblin has been an enthusiastic supporter of sleep packs since they were trialled in the medical admissions planning unit.
“Hospital stays are often sudden and unexpected, it’s so important to consider patients’ needs and give them something to increase their comfort. To see the relief on their faces when we offer some respite is fantastic, especially as it’s such a simple solution,” Giblin said.
“The better rest, the better recovery. Reducing risks is a huge part of working in medicine. When patients stay longer in hospital, they become at risk of things that can negatively impact their health. Sleep care packs are just one more fantastic tool in our kete to reduce the risks that come with being in hospital.”