Determination of sleep quality, fatigue, and concentration in nurses according to their shifts and chronotype

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine sleep quality, fatigue, and concentration in nurses according to their shifts and chronotype. Methods: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study including 276 of the 331 nurses working at a foundation university hospital in Ankara. The Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire were used as data forms. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and chi-square test were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 73.7% of nurses were ‘intermediate-type’ and 21.4% were ‘near morning-type’; 29.9% of nurses who worked during the day and 20% of those who worked rotating shifts were ‘morning-type’ (χ2=11.699, p=0.003). The total PSQI scores were 9.07±3.98 for ‘evening-type’, 8.19±3.76 for ‘intermediate-type’, and 6.57±3.76 for ‘morning-type’ (F=5.536, p=0.004). A total of 77.2% of nurses who had sleep disturbances and 60.1% of those who had no sleep disturbances reported work-related accidents (χ2=9.131, p=0.002); 7.3% of nurses who worked during the day and 17.6% of those who worked in rotating shifts had made a medical error in the previous year (χ2=6.797, p=0.007). The fatigue level was severe in 58.3% of the nurses who had made a medical error and in 37.9% of those who had not made a medical error in the previous year (χ2=6.529, p=0.038). There was no statistically significant difference between these variables according to the chronotype of the nurses. Conclusion: Chronotype and shift work affect sleep quality in nurses and lead to problems related to patient and employee safety. These results should be considered with respect to the working conditions for nurses.