Abstract
This study aimed to assess the overall level of sleep quality among female staff nurses in the United States during the early COVID-19 pandemic. It also aimed to examine factors associated with sleep quality and its seven subcomponents: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, use of sleeping medications, and daytime dysfunction. A descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study design was used. We performed descriptive, and regression analyses with a sample of 215 female staff nurses enrolled in post-licensure online nursing programs at a southeastern state university. Data collection was conducted using an online survey from April to May 2020. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Nurses working part time (p = 0.02), with lower perceived physical health (p = 0.01), a lower self-care self-regulation score (p < 0.001), and higher work stress (p < 0.05) showed poorer sleep quality. Factors associated with subcomponents of sleep quality varied. Poor sleep quality among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic was reported. Various factors, including work environmental factors were associated with the sleep quality in this sample. Hospital administrators should consider developing intervention programs for improving the work environment, which would impact sleep quality, health status, and job performance.
Highlights
Sleep quality is crucial for nurses to provide optimal care to patients
The current study examined factors associated with sleep quality among female staff nurses in the United States
Considering that the generally accepted criterion for poor sleep quality is more than five, the poor level of sleep quality in this study sample is noteworthy. It is not clear if poor sleep quality is typically observed in the nurse population or whether it is attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
Sleep quality is crucial for nurses to provide optimal care to patients. Due to the nature of the work, nurses are at a higher risk for decreased sleep quantity and quality, as well as continuous sleep deprivation [1]. Fatigue resulting from poor sleep tends to reduce nurses’ ability to concentrate and make correct decisions, leading to the possibility of errors and injuries [2,3]. Risk of medication errors was associated with poor quality of sleep among nurses [4]. Poor sleep quality was related to a decreased quality of life in nurses. Female nurses who reported a good quality of life had significantly higher reported sleep quality than those with moderate or poor quality of life [5]
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