Sleep quality, personal and work variables and life habits of hospital nurses

Young nurses' perceptions about their employment, working and health conditions

OBJECTIVE

to interpret young nursing professionals' perceptions about the relationship between working, employment and health conditions.

METHOD

a qualitative study with an interpretive approach regarding the work-related experiences of 15 young nurses, who took part in the research through voluntary snowball sampling. The data from the interviews and the focus group were analyzed to reach an approximation to the realities inherent to the nurses' work life.

RESULTS

the relevant study findings pointed out that work precariousness is a characteristic feature in the population group, mainly related to hiring modalities and to wages. According to the participants, the psychosocial working conditions (which were intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic) were the ones that caused the most effects on their mental and physical health.

CONCLUSION

from the young nurses' perspective, this study reports how the macro- and micro-structural working conditions and their relationship with health are perceived, pointing out the key elements to devise interventions focused on life paths that foster decent and healthy work postulates in their work environments, as well as actions to prevent injuries or harms to nurses' health.

Excessive daytime sleepiness in nursing technicians: association with sleep quality and memory

OBJECTIVE

to investigate excessive daytime sleepiness prevalence among nursing technicians and the association with sleep quality and memory.

METHODS

a cross-sectional, inferential study, carried out in a hospital unit in the state of Goiás between December 2020 and January 2021. Assessments were carried out using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire, instruments validated for the Brazilian context. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyzes were performed.

RESULTS

the sample consisted of 189 nursing technicians with a 40.9% excessive daytime sleepiness prevalence. In multivariate models, excessive daytime sleepiness was not associated with sleep quality, however there was a significant association with overall memory failures.

CONCLUSIONS

study results demonstrate a high excessive daytime sleepiness occurrence, an association with overall memory failures and the need for psychosocial interventions for nursing technicians.

Sleep quality of nurses who worked in coping with COVID-19: an integrative review

OBJECTIVE

to analyze sleep quality of nurses who worked coping with COVID-19 in scientific evidence.

METHODS

an integrative review, carried out in seven databases, including studies between December 2021 and June 2022, without language restrictions. The sample consisted of 15 primary studies.

RESULTS

nurses working in hospital, intensive care, outpatient care and teaching institutions constitute a vulnerable group for sleep disorders: latency, duration, efficiency and quality. The disorders identified involved insomnia at varying levels of severity: daytime dysfunction and morning sleepiness. Night work and low capacity for self-care were determinants of impaired sleep patterns.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to greater vulnerability of nurses to changes in sleep, requiring strategies for risk management and well-being promotion.

Self-care behaviours and practices of professional nurses working in primary health care clinics

BACKGROUND

 Historically, the nursing profession focused on caring for patients, families and communities but neglected aspects of self-care. Self-care is essential for nurses, as it could impact the quality of care nurses render to patients.

AIM

 This article investigated professional nurses' self-care behaviours and practices in primary health care clinics.

SETTING

 The study was conducted at selected primary health care facilities (clinics) in regions C and D of the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng.

METHODS

 A cross-sectional descriptive research survey. Stratified random sampling was used to select respondents. A demographic questionnaire, Self-Care Activities Screening Scale (SASS-14), Nature of Supportive Work Environment questionnaire and Self-Care Work and Home Environmental Factors (SWHEF) questionnaire were combined as the data collection instrument for this study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the collected data.

RESULTS

 The finding revealed health consciousness: 86.6% of professional nurses were alert to changes in their health, and 75.2% constantly examined their health. The average professional nurse slept only 7-8 h every day. While 59.4% of professional nurses who participated in the study seldom ate healthy foods (i.e. foods with less sugar, salt, fried snacks or pre-cooked food), 71.7% rarely ate three fruits and two portions of vegetables daily. Only 57.4% of professional nurses regularly drank eight recommended glasses of water daily.

CONCLUSION

 According to the findings, primary health care nurses must prioritise self-care and work in supportive environments.Contribution: The study acknowledged the need to promote self-care and supportive work environments for professional nurses in primary health care setting.