Influence of new hire transition workload on insomnia in nurses

In this study, we investigated the relationship of the prevalence and incidence of insomnia with the new hire transition workload in nurses.

This retrospective study used the clinical diagnosis data of the entire nursing population in Taiwan for 2005 to 2008, drawn from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Adjusted logistic regression and Cox regression models were used to separately analyse factors related to the prevalence and incidence of insomnia.

During this period, the prevalence of insomnia increased, whereas its incidence remained stable. After adjustment for demographic variables in the logistic regression models, the higher prevalence of insomnia was associated with a longer employment duration and a higher new hire ratio. In the Cox regression models, a higher incidence of insomnia was associated with a shorter employment duration and a higher new hire ratio. Nurses with a longer employment duration had a higher prevalence, but lower incidence, of insomnia. A higher new hire ratio was associated with a higher prevalence and incidence of insomnia.

To mitigate the risk of insomnia, we suggest that additional support should be provided to non-new nurses to assist them in the new hire transition.