Final answer:
The nurse should consider the patient as the best evaluator of sleep when assessing outcomes for insomnia because personal perception plays a critical role. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and improving sleep hygiene are non-pharmacologic strategies that can effectively address insomnia.
Step-by-step explanation:
When evaluating outcomes for a patient with insomnia, the nurse should consider that the patient is the best evaluator of sleep. This is because subjective sleep quality forms an important element in assessing the effectiveness of any intervention. Personal perceptions of sleep duration and satisfaction are crucial for evaluating improvements in sleep health.
Regarding the treatment of insomnia, stress management techniques may be employed in conjunction with changes to problematic behaviors that can exacerbate insomnia symptoms, such as spending excessive waking time in bed. Non-pharmacologic interventions, particularly Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), have demonstrated efficacy in treating insomnia without the potential risks of medication.
It is also important to note that a good practice is to utilize strategies that understand the biological basis of sleep, such as matching interventions with the patient's circadian rhythms and addressing factors that can disrupt these rhythms. Alterations to routines that promote better sleep hygiene can be beneficial, with an overall goal to reduce sleeplessness and improve sleep quality through non-medicated means whenever possible.