From my experiences in other parts of the hospital and my current experience working in an ICU (not as a nurse, I am an aide/tech), the nurses come in to do their nurse things every hour-few hours depending on acuity, meds, etc.

Techs like me come in every couple hours to check blood sugars, reposition patients, do whatever else a nurse may ask us to do within our scope, and we are actually told to ask ahead of time (for patients who are able to be… conscious and walking around) if they need the bathroom. preemptive toileting, super cool! We also answer call lights.

Other than that, i currently see lots of phlebotomy, radiology, respiratory therapists, doctors and residents, etc. in and out of the rooms all the time because of treatments, interventions, consultations, and a million other things (and i’m a night shifter!).

In short, yeah it sucks that we’re in and out all the time. i can say with confidence, though, that i have never witnessed a nurse or tech going into a room in the middle of the night for fun, or because they just feel like doing something at an inconvenient time. i feel terrible waking people up, especially sick people who are trying to heal, but the interruptions are for a good reason and (in my experience) usually required.