The effectiveness of nurses’ psychosocial interventions for sensory deprivation in intensive care patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effectiveness of nurses’ psychosocial interventions for addressing sensory deprivation in intensive care units (ICUs). Materials and methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, CİNAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library, and YÖK Thesis Center databases was conducted from August 2023 to May 2024, without any temporal restrictions. In addition, a physical search was made in the university library for grey literature. Results: The study revealed that nurses’ psychosocial interventions significantly improved patients’ level of consciousness (SMD = 1.042, %95 CI = 0.716 to 1.369; Z = 6.25; p <.05) and sleep quality in ICUs (SMD=1.21, 95% CI= 0.232 to 1.810; Z = 2.49; p <.05). The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions varied based on the type of intervention, patient age, ICU type, patient group, and intervention duration. Notably, auditory stimuli and aromatherapy demonstrated particularly high effect sizes, significantly enhancing patients’ levels of consciousness and sleep quality. Conclusion: In conclusion, psychosocial interventions aimed at reducing sensory deprivation in intensive care units exert beneficial effects on individuals, notably enhancing their level of consciousness and improving sleep quality.