Sleep Quality in Surgical Intensive Care

The intervention group patients were fitted with an eye mask designed by the researcher by placing a black fabric in the size of the mask between two three-layer surgical masks with Asfor brand soft elastic earphones and stapling the edges. The designed eye mask was cut with scissors according to the shape of the nose so that the mask would fit the eye exactly and prevent the light from entering the eye. A separate mask was used for each patient in the intervention group. Patients who were admitted to the NICU after surgery were evaluated for agitation-pain-delirium at 23:00 on postoperative days 0, 1, and 2, were told to wear their eye masks after the scale application, and the patients were allowed to sleep at 23:00 at the latest. Patients were allowed to remove the eye patch for short periods of time (10 minutes or less at a time) and then put it back on when uncomfortable and when necessary.