Excessive levels of light and noise as well as frequent
interruptions for intensive medical and nursing care may
contribute to disorganized sleep and increased patient
distress, and have the potential to impact subsequent
neurodevelopment. Numerous studies have been performed
measuring environmental influences on neonatal
development in premature infants, resulting in policy and
practice changes for improved infant outcomes. This single
case study provides critical information for designing a
future, larger study focused on identifying potentially
adverse aspects of the intensive caregiving environment
for newborn infants who have undergone neonatal cardiac
surgery. Our findings suggest that additional research
with a larger sample is needed to describe potentially
adverse environmental factors that may impact the development
of these vulnerable infants with life-threatening
cardiac disease