NCT07928141 Improving Sleep for Older Adults in the Emergency Department
| NCT ID | NCT07928141 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | University Health Network, Toronto |
| Condition | Emergency Department Patient |
| Study Type | OBSERVATIONAL |
| Enrollment | 78 participants |
| Start Date | 2026-04-01 |
| Primary Completion | 2028-12-31 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.
What to Expect as a Participant
This is an observational study. You will not receive an experimental treatment; researchers will collect data based on your existing condition or standard treatment.
This trial targets 78 participants in total. It began in 2026-04-01 with a primary completion date of 2028-12-31.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
This quality improvement project aims to improve sleep for older adults during overnight stays in the Emergency Department. Older adults in the ED may experience prolonged stays while awaiting inpatient admission, and this period can involve sleep disruption, immobility, delirium risk, and physiologic stress. The first phase of the project will measure baseline sleep duration and related physiologic patterns among adults aged 70 years or older who are staying overnight in the ED and are admitted, or likely to be admitted, to Medicine. Participants will be invited to wear a Fitbit Sense 2 device for approximately 24 hours. The device will collect sleep, heart rate, and activity data. Additional information will be collected through patient questionnaires and Epic chart review, including clinical and environmental factors that may affect sleep, such as ED location, overnight vital signs, bloodwork, imaging, medications, interventions, and delirium documentation. Fitbit data will be analyzed in aggregate and will not be used to guide real-time clinical care or flow into Epic. After baseline sleep patterns and associated factors are better understood, the project will use quality improvement methods, including Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, to introduce and evaluate practical sleep-improvement strategies through the Seniors Emergency Medicine Centre. Potential interventions may include reducing noise and lighting when clinically appropriate, providing sleep-support items such as earplugs and eye masks, using white noise, improving equipment and alarm management where safe, and considering sleep-promoting medications such as melatonin when appropriate. The primary outcome is total sleep time during the overnight ED stay, measured using Fitbit data. Secondary and balancing measures include patient satisfaction with wearing the Fitbit, delirium episodes, care delays related to sleep interventions, and staff feedback about workflow or device-related disruptions. This project is intended to inform local improvements in care processes for older adults in the UHN Emergency Department and to support safer, more patient-centered overnight ED care. The QIRC submission identifies the project as a UHN quality improvement project focused on process change, information gathering, and evaluation, with an aim to improve overnight total sleep time for older adults by approximately one hour over six months after baseline measurement.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 70 years or older. * Patient is in the Emergency Department at Toronto General Hospital or Toronto Western Hospital. * Patient is admitted, or likely to be admitted, to the General Internal Medicine service. * Patient is expected to remain in the Emergency Department overnight. * Patient is able and willing to wear a wrist-worn wearable monitoring device for approximately 24 hours. * Patient provides consent to participate in the quality improvement project. Exclusion Criteria: * Patient declines or is unable to provide consent. * Patient is unable to wear the wearable device safely or comfortably. * Patient has a clinical condition or care requirement that makes wearable monitoring inappropriate, as determined by the clinical or project team. * Patient is expected to leave the Emergency Department before overnight monitoring can occur.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT07928141 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 70 Years or older, studying Emergency Department Patient. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT07928141 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT07928141 is actively recruiting participants. Visit ClinicalTrials.gov or contact University Health Network, Toronto to inquire about joining.
Where is the NCT07928141 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Toronto, Canada, Toronto, Canada.
Who is sponsoring the NCT07928141 clinical trial?
NCT07928141 is sponsored by University Health Network, Toronto. The trial plans to enroll 78 participants.