Where Do Parents Sleep Best When Children Are Hospitalized? A Pilot Comparison Study

Abstract

This pilot study compared the sleep quality and quantity of parents who slept at their hospitalized child's bedside with parents who slept at the hospital's onsite Ronald McDonald House® (RMH). Wrist actigraphy and questionnaires were used to estimate parent sleep quality and quantity. Parents who slept at their hospitalized child's bedside (n = 27) experienced more sleep disruption (wake after sleep onset) and reported poorer sleep quality and feeling less rested than parents who slept at RMH (n = 11). Bedside accommodation was associated with poorer parent sleep even when controlling for the covariates of child age and parent gender. Nearby family accommodations, such as RMH, may facilitate parent-child proximity during a child's hospitalization while also providing parents with opportunities for essential sleep.