Determination of Chronotype, Quality of Life, Sleep Quality, and Social Jetlag in Shift Working Nurses

Abstract

Objective:This study determined the effects of chronotypes, social jetlag levels, and sleep quality on the quality of life of shift-working nurses.Materials and Methods:This descriptive study was conducted on nurses working in shifts at a university hospital in Turkey from 2021 to 2022. The data were collected with the “Descriptive Information Form”, “Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index”, “Self-assessment morningness-eveningness questionnaire” and “Professional Quality of Life Scale”, Questions Regarding Social Jetlag Periods.Results:It was determined that 14.2% of the nurses had a chronotype close to the morning type, 68.7% had an intermediate type chronotype, and 17.2% had a chronotype close to the evening type. It was found that the burnout levels of females taking part in the study were statistically higher than those of males. It was determined that nurses working in emergency and intensive care units experienced higher empathy fatigue and sleep latency and daytime dysfunction compared to nurses working in normal services. In the study, it was found that nurses working daytime + on-duty had higher daytime dysfunction than nurses working on permanent duty.Conclusion:Because of the study, it was determined that the sleep quality of the nurses working in shifts deteriorated, and they also experienced empathy fatigue and burnout professionally. To increase the sleep quality of the employees, the working rest hours International Labor Organization of the nurses working in shifts should be arranged per the criteria of the Nurses Association of other countries.

Keywords

• shift worker
• social jetlag
• sleep
• quality of life
• chronotypes