الفهرس 
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Abstract
Background: Delirium is a common syndrome in the Critical Care Unit (CCU). It is caused by a disturbance of the cognitive function in the brain. Critically ill patients are vulnerable to sleep deprivation that is accompanied by increased morbidity and mortality. Non-pharmacological measures such as wearing earplugs and eye Masks could be beneficial in the prevention of delirium and sleep deprivation by creating relaxing effects. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of earplugs and eye masks on onset of delirium and quality of sleep in Neuro-Critical Care Units (NCCU). Methods: Quasi-experimental research design was used to conduct the study. The study included 66 critically ill adult patients. The underlying intervention in the study group included patients’ who wear both earplugs and eye masks during the night for three consecutive days. The control group patients were sleeping without earplugs and eye masks during the night. Tools: Data were collected using three tools: Patients’ characteristics and Environmental Concerns for delirium, the Delirium assessment tools [Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC) and Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale (RASS)], and sleep assessment tools [Richard Campbell Sleeping Questionnaire (RCSQ) and Freedman Questionnaire (FQ)] were utilized in data collection. Results: Highly statistically significant difference was found between the study and control groups regarding the presence of delirium on the third day. Moreover, highly significant improvement in the total sleep quality among the study group compared to patients in the control group on the second and third nights. Conclusion: Using earplugs, and eye masks at night has delayed the onset of delirium and improved the quality of sleep in the NCCU. Recommendation: Replication of the study on a large probability sample selected from different NCCUs in Egypt. Furthermore, evidence-based protocols for using earplugs and eye masks should be available in the prescribed form in different CCUs.