Effect of nurse-led individualized noise nursing intervention on sleep comfort and pain relief in terminally ill patients undergoing palliative care.

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbance and pain are common sources of distress in terminally ill patients receiving palliative care, and nighttime ward noise is a modifiable environmental factor that may aggravate both symptoms. This study evaluated the effect of a nurse-led, individualized noise nursing intervention on sleep comfort and pain relief in terminally ill patients receiving palliative care, with the aim of providing practical evidence for comfort-oriented nursing care.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using existing clinical and nursing records of 163 terminally ill patients admitted to the palliative care ward of our hospital from March 2024 to August 2025. Patients were divided into an observation group (n = 89) and a control group (n = 74) according to the nursing methods received. The control group received routine palliative care combined with standardized noise nursing, while the observation group received nurse-led individualized noise nursing in addition to the routine care. The average intervention period was 4 weeks for both groups. Indicators related to sleep comfort, pain status, and noise interference were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

After the intervention, the observation group showed greater improvements in sleep comfort, pain-related indicators, and noise interference indices compared to the control group. The observation group also had higher scores for nursing compliance and family satisfaction, along with better quality of life and a lower incidence of adverse events. All between-group differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Among terminally ill patients receiving palliative care, a nurse-led, individualized noise nursing program is associated with improved sleep comfort and better pain-related outcomes. During the intervention period, patients show better adherence to nursing measures, and family satisfaction increases.