A nurse is discussing sleep-related movement disorders with a client. Select all of the following factors that can contribute to restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Choice A rationale:

Actigraphy is a method that involves wearing a wrist-worn device that monitors movement and light exposure to infer sleep patterns and circadian rhythms. It's often used in sleep research and can provide long-term data, but it doesn't directly measure physiological parameters like brain waves, eye movements, and heart rate. Therefore, it's not the correct choice for this scenario.

Choice B rationale:

The Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT) is used to assess a person's ability to stay awake during a quiet, daytime environment. It's typically used to evaluate excessive daytime sleepiness, especially in individuals with conditions like narcolepsy. This test doesn't involve monitoring physiological parameters during sleep and is performed while the person is awake, so it's not the correct choice.

Choice C rationale:

Polysomnography (PSG) is the correct choice. PSG is a comprehensive sleep study that involves monitoring various physiological parameters during sleep, including brain waves (electroencephalogram, EEG), eye movements (electrooculogram, EOG), muscle activity (electromyogram, EMG), and heart rate (electrocardiogram, ECG). This test is commonly used to diagnose sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and parasomnias.

Choice D rationale:

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is a self-report questionnaire used to assess an individual's likelihood of falling asleep in various situations. It's a subjective measure of daytime sleepiness and doesn't involve monitoring physiological parameters during sleep, so it's not the correct choice.

Choice A rationale:

Advising the client to continue with their current sleep habits would not be appropriate because if the client is seeking help for sleep quality concerns, their current habits might be contributing to the issue. Without proper assessment and guidance, this could exacerbate the problem.

Choice B rationale:

Recommending the client to use their bed for activities like reading and watching TV is not ideal. The bed should be associated with sleep and relaxation, and engaging in stimulating activities can hinder the client's ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Choice C rationale:

Educating the client about sleep hygiene and behavioral interventions is the appropriate action. Sleep hygiene education includes teaching the client about practices that promote good sleep, such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule, creating a comfortable sleep environment, avoiding caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime, and engaging in relaxing activities before sleep. Behavioral interventions can help address specific sleep problems and develop healthy sleep habits.

Choice D rationale:

Prescribing medications without consulting a healthcare provider is not within the nurse's scope of practice. Furthermore, medication should not be the first line of treatment for sleep concerns, and it's important to explore non-pharmacological interventions first.