No matter what field of nursing you are in, you will find that knowing about sleep and its disorders will enhance your practice! Few nurses have found their way to the wonderful and exciting world of sleep medicine. Sleep health is imperative for all patients regardless of specialty. We hope that you find this page a helpful resource. Historically, nurses have been under-utilized in sleep medicine
. Recent changes in health care policy have increased the demand by sleep centers for nurses, particularly advanced practice. CMS and insurers are now using home apnea testing (HAT) for diagnosis of sleep apnea. This phenomena improves access to care for sleep apnea, resulting in increased numbers of patients with the diagnosis. However, few nurses have the required training and education to fill this gap. Lack or disrupted sleep adversely impacts most chronic illnesses. Sleep apnea, a common disorder, contributes to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive deficits. Knowing about sleep not only can improve your patients well being, but also can have a positive impact on your sleep as well. If your patients are at risk, so are you! Sleep for Nurses develops programs for nurses, by nurses. The goal of the program is to provide a global foundation in sleep health for nurses from all areas enabling them to promote good sleep practices, recognize sleep disorders and refer to appropriate diagnosis and treatment.