Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Hospitalized Patients Using the STOP-Bang Questionnaire

Abstract

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder affecting as many as 25 percent of the US population. While many individuals are considered high risk for OSA, a large portion of these individuals will remain undiagnosed. One plausible opportunity for assessing OSA is patient encounters, whether in-patient our out-patient services; Design: As part of a quality improvement (QI) project, registered nurses were educated on OSA and the screening for OSA using the STOP-Bang questionnaire; Setting: A twelve-bed observation unit located within a community hospital; Key Measures for Improvement: The following measures were considered for improvement: completion of the STOP-Bang questionnaire and completion of a referral by the physician or nurse practitioner for an outpatient sleep study; Effects of Change: Of the 54 patients screened, 87 percent screened positive for high risk of OSA. Of the patients who screened positive for OSA, 74 percent were provided referrals for polysomnogram (PSG) testing; Lessons Learned: Screening for OSA using the STOP-Bang questionnaire in an observation unit is an effective solution to evaluating OSA and may be considered in all patient entry points within a hospital setting.