SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Implementing a Hospital-Wide Quiet at Night Initiative: An Interdisciplinary, Implementation Science Approach

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This document describes a hospital-wide “Quiet at Night” initiative designed to improve patient rest by reducing sleep disruptions in inpatient units. The project was motivated by the fact that, although rest is important for healing, hospital sleep is often interrupted by noise, clinical care activities, and inconsistent nighttime routines. While evidence-based strategies to improve sleep already exist, the team identified a need for better guidance on how to prepare clinical staff for coordinated, system-wide implementation.<br /><br />Using an interdisciplinary, implementation-science approach, the team developed a standardized Quiet at Night bundle. The intervention included clustered care, environmental changes such as sleep kits and earplugs, and communication strategies to set expectations with patients and families. After IRB approval, the project was prepared for implementation.<br /><br />To assess readiness, the team collected survey data during educational sessions. A total of 234 staff members completed pre-education surveys, and 193 completed post-education surveys. Before education, 80% of respondents described their unit as fairly quiet, yet 70% rated patient rest as fair or poor, suggesting a mismatch between staff perceptions and actual patient sleep experience.<br /><br />After education, 77% of participants reported feeling more prepared to support patient rest. In addition, 70% endorsed the Quiet at Night interventions as acceptable, appropriate, effective, and feasible within their unit workflows.<br /><br />Overall, the project found that a structured, interdisciplinary implementation strategy improved clinician readiness for change and increased perceived feasibility of a hospital-wide Quiet at Night initiative. The authors note limitations, including the use of site-specific survey tools and possible selection bias.

Asset Subtitle

Patricia E. Litkowski

Meta Tag

Author List Andrew Cowart-Oberle, Cassandra Arroyo, Danielle Ghanti, Patricia E. Litkowski, Tracy A. Riley, Yvonne Smith

Category Innovations

Concept Rest

Concept Sleep

Concept Unnecessary Overnight Disruption

Concept Healing

Concept Clustered Care

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Washington University in St. Louis

Presenting Author Patricia E. Litkowski

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

Quiet at Night

patient rest

sleep disruption

hospital initiative

inpatient units

clustered care

implementation science

clinician readiness

environmental interventions

staff education

Rest

Sleep

Unnecessary Overnight Disruption

Healing

Clustered Care