Stress level and sleep quality of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: COVID-19 infection is transmitted easily and quickly, and nurses constitute the riskiest group of healthcare workers. Therefore, they may experience high levels of stress and sleep problems.

Objective: This study was conducted in order to evaluate the stress levels and sleep quality of nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted with 316 nurses working in a pandemic hospital in a city center. A descriptive form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were used to collect data.

Results: A positive, moderately significant correlation was found between the average PSQI score of nurses and the average perceived stress score (p≤0.001). Multiple regressions determined that shift work, stress level, a coworker having COVID-19, being out of home due to the risk of transmission, and having a person older than 65 in the home were effective predictors of sleep quality (R2 = 33.5, p≤0.001). Age, years worked, fear of infecting the family with COVID-19, receiving COVID-19 education, regular nutrition, and sleep quality were effective predictors of stress level (R2 = 32.2, p≤0.001).

Conclusion: It was determined that nurses have low sleep quality and high stress levels during the pandemic process.