'When they sleep, they sleep': daytime activities and sleep disorders in nursing homes.

Are nurses aware that activities can reduce residents' daytime sleepiness and increase sleep quality at night in nursing homes? This question is studied in a project focusing on sleep disorders and multi-morbidity in long-term care. In Germany, episodic interviews with 32 nursing staff members (age 24-60 years) with different qualifications addressed their views on links between residents' daytime structure and activities and their sleep/disorders. Three interpretive and activity patterns (intervention; missed opportunity; ignorance) were found, which differ in relation to how far the interviewees motivate residents' activity. Implications for a training program based on these different premises are discussed.