NCLEX-LPN® Question of the Day: Trouble sleeping

Today’s NCLEX-PN® question of the day focuses on sleep issues an in-patient is having. Do you know the answer? Let’s find out!

The nurse is caring for a patient in the inpatient medical unit who reports having trouble falling asleep. Which factor is most likely impairing their sleep?

A. Eating a high-carbohydrate snack before bed

B. Drinking a morning cup of coffee

C. Attending an evening physical therapy session

D. Removing the patient’s nicotine patch during bathing

Scroll down for the correct answer!

The correct answer to today’s NCLEX-PN® Question is…

C. Attending an evening physical therapy session

Rationale: Physical activity before bed can make it more difficult for the patient to fall asleep since exercise causes the body to release endorphins. The nurse may want to consider scheduling physical therapy earlier in the day as regular exercise can support sleep hygiene.

Main Takeaway

The nurse should recognize that quality of sleep can be impacted by numerous factors. Regular physical activity can promote sleep, though exercising late in the day can make it more difficult to fall asleep or to stay asleep, this can include physical therapy sessions for hospitalized patients.

Some dietary factors include:

• Eating a large meal right before bedtime, especially spicy foods that can cause heartburn. However, eating a high-carbohydrate snack before bedtime can promote sleep quality.
• Drinking alcohol before bedtime may allow patients to fall asleep easier, but it leads to wakefulness later in the night. Since caffeine is a stimulant, it can make it more difficult to fall asleep.
• Smoking impacts sleep because the stimulating effects of nicotine can make it more difficult to fall asleep, and once the person is asleep, they can be more easily aroused.

Incorrect Answer Explanations

A. Eating a high-carbohydrate snack before bed

Rationale: Although the mechanism is not completely understood, eating a high-carbohydrate snack before bed can help improve sleep quality, due to the impact on sleep hormones. Therefore, another factor is likely causing the impairment of sleep.

B. Drinking a morning cup of coffee

Rationale: Typically, drinking a caffeinated beverage later in the day, closer to bedtime, can impair sleep rather than drinking it in the morning. Therefore, another factor is likely causing the impairment of sleep.

D. Removing the patient’s nicotine patch during bathing

Rationale: The stimulating effects of nicotine can make it more difficult for patients to fall asleep, and once they are asleep, they can be more easily aroused. Since the nicotine patch was removed, it is more likely another factor is causing the impairment of sleep.

Want to learn more about this topic?

Watch the Osmosis video: Sleep – Overview: Nursing

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