On a 2-week follow-up visit to the health care provider, a 64-year-old

On a 2-week follow-up visit to the health care provider, a 64-year-old female postoperative client shares with the nurse that she is having difficulty sleeping and has never had a history of sleeping problems. The nurse shares with the client that:

1. Because of her age, the client should expect to begin having some problems sleeping
2. It may take a while to get used to sleeping in her bed at home after getting used to sleeping on a hospital bed
3. The medications used for anesthesia can disturb sleep cycles for several weeks following surgery
4. She may not be sleeping as well with her partner after being in a bed by herself while being hospitalized

ANSWER

ANS: 3
If the client has recently had surgery, expect the client to experience some disturbance in sleep. Clients usually awaken frequently during the first night after surgery and receive little deep or REM sleep. Depending on the type of surgery, it takes several days to months for a normal sleep cycle to return.