AUTHOR=Huang Qiao , Tian Chong , Zeng Xian-Tao 

TITLE=Poor Sleep Quality in Nurses Working or Having Worked Night Shifts: A Cross-Sectional Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2021.638973

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2021.638973

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=Night shift is an inevitable part of clinical nursing work, it is not clear whether poor sleep quality was persistent during consecutive night shift and after quitting. In this cross-sectional study, we compared Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score and prevalence of poor sleep quality between 512 nurses who were in consecutive night shifts and 174 nurses with past night shifts, using univariable and multivariable linear and logistic regressions. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 62.11% in nurses with consecutive night shifts and 55.75% in nurses with past night shifts, respectively. In multivariable regressions with adjustment for potential confounders, compared with nurses with consecutive night shifts, nurses with past night shifts presented decreased PSQI score [mean difference: -0.82 (95% CI: -1.27 to -0.38, P<0.001)] and less poor sleep quality [Odds Ratio: 0.49 (95% CI: 0.29 to 0.80, P=0.005)]. Direct removal of night shift could improve sleep quality. In nurses with consecutive night shifts, a rising curve with plateau at the end was observed between years of consecutive night shifts and PSQI score, P=0.004. To explore change in PSQI score after quitting night shift, 98 pairs of nurses with consecutive and past night shifts were matched by the same night shift years and other characteristics, change of PSQI score was calculated in pairs and assumed years after quitting night shifts was obtained from nurses with past night shifts, a U-shaped curve between assumed years after quitting night shifts and change in PSQI was observed, P=0.007. The rising curve and U-shaped curve together formed a S-shaped curve. The S-shaped change of sleep quality suggested persistent poor sleep quality and supported early and regularly sleep hygiene education and optimal strategy of stopping night shift for clinical nurses.