A nurse is discussing the possible effects of sleep deprivation with a patient. Which of the following statements accurately represents a potential impact on immune function?

Choice A rationale:

Sleep diary involves individuals tracking their sleep patterns and habits over a certain period of time, usually done by the individual themselves. It does not involve monitoring physiological parameters during sleep, such as brain waves, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rate, breathing patterns, and body position. A sleep diary is a subjective self-reporting tool rather than a comprehensive assessment method.

Choice B rationale:

Physical examination can provide some information about a person's overall health, but it doesn't directly involve monitoring the specific physiological parameters mentioned. It focuses more on identifying physical health issues through a general examination rather than assessing sleep and wakefulness disorders.

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 or EEG), eye movements (electrooculogram or EOG), muscle activity (electromyogram or EMG), heart rate (electrocardiogram or ECG), breathing patterns, and body position. It is considered the gold standard for diagnosing sleep disorders and provides valuable data about sleep stages, sleep-related breathing disorders, and other sleep-related issues.

Choice D rationale:

Sleep history involves collecting information about an individual's sleep patterns, habits, and behaviors over time. While it provides important insights into sleep-related problems, it doesn't directly involve monitoring physiological parameters during sleep like PSG does. Sleep history is typically obtained through interviews and questionnaires.

Choice A rationale:

Monitoring the patient's adherence to follow-up appointments is not the appropriate method for assessing changes in sleep patterns and symptoms. While follow-up appointments are important for tracking progress, they do not directly measure the patient's sleep patterns or symptoms.

Choice B rationale:

Asking the patient to rate their daytime sleepiness on a scale of 0-10 is a valid method for assessing changes in sleep patterns and symptoms. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a commonly used tool for this purpose. It provides a subjective measure of the patient's level of daytime sleepiness, which can help gauge the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving sleep.

Choice C rationale:

Measuring the patient's physical activity levels before and after treatment might be relevant to overall health assessment but is not a direct method of assessing changes in sleep patterns and symptoms. Physical activity can influence sleep, but it does not specifically measure the impact of interventions on sleep disorders.

Choice D rationale:

Reviewing the patient's family history of sleep disorders is important for understanding potential genetic predispositions to sleep problems. However, it is not a method for directly assessing changes in the patient's sleep patterns and symptoms resulting from interventions.