Sleep patterns
Sleep patterns are rarely considered in dressing evaluations. Being diagnosed with cancer can have a psychological impact on the patient and their family, and sleep is an important process that aids healing and is often linked to pain and stress (Colin, 2008). It was felt that if the dressings were able to reduce inflammation and pain, sleep patterns would improve.
By day six, all patients that maintained the pain diaries were sleeping between four and eight hours. This record was reflected in the free text diaries.