Nurses' stress levels and sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Nursing is one of the most stressful occupations in the healthcare sector. In Hungary, the emergence of Covid-19 has further increased the burden on healthcare and, in turn, has aggravated the situation of nurses, placing them under greater strain, both psychologically and physically.
METHODS: Our cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive research was conducted between December 2020 and February 2021. A total of 199 participants were included in the study. The data was collected online. Our questionnaire included sociodemographic, work-related questions and items from standardised questionnaires [PSS (Perceived Stress Questionnaire), (Groningen Sleep Quality Scale)]. Data were processed using SPSS 25.0 statistical software. Descriptive statistics, correlation, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent samples t-test were used for data analysis. Results were considered significant at p < 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval.
RESULTS: The nurses surveyed had moderately high stress scores in the study. Our results indicate that nurses who worked more night shifts (F = 3.455, p = 0.034) and more overtime in a month (F = 7.077, p = 0.001) had significantly higher perceived stress levels. There were also significant differences in perceived stress levels and the nurses' work category of patients they cared for (F = 2.935, p = 0.035). Regarding overtime, nurses who worked more overtime in a month had significantly higher sleep quality scores, i.e. lower sleep quality (F = 6.369, p = 0.002).
CONCLUSIONS: The burden on healthcare caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has added to already high levels of workplace stress, which has a significant impact on sleep quality. Considering all this, preventing burnout and reducing stress at work would be even more critical in the current situation. The widespread use of measures to prevent work-related stress and reduce workload would be necessary at both organisational and individual levels.
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