Impact of Sleep Quality on Work Functioning Among Critical Care Nurses at an Academic Tertiary Hospital

Poor sleep quality can impair nurses' ability to function effectively. We aimed to investigate the impact of sleep quality on the work functioning of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.

This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted at an academic tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia between December 2023 and January 2024. Eligible participants included any ICU nurses. The self-administered questionnaire included basic demographics and questions from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Nurses Work Functioning Questionnaire (NWFQ).

Of the 131 participants, 60 (45.8%) were 35-44 years old and 118 (90.1%) were females. The median [interquartile range] number of years working in the ICU was 8 [4-16]. Participants with poor sleep quality had a significantly higher median NWFQ score (27.57 vs. 17.44; p < 0.0001) and all the NWFQ subscales (p ≤ 0.02) except for the item 'conflicts and irritations with colleagues.' NWFQ scores demonstrated a moderate negative correlation with Global PSQI Scores (r_s = -0.37; p < 0.0001) and mild-to-moderate negative correlations were observed with six of seven NWFQ subscales (r_s = -0.21 to -0.41; p ≤ 0.05). Multivariable regression analysis revealed that none of the participants' characteristics were associated with poor work functioning. However, poor sleep was associated with poor work function (OR 4.29; 95% CI, 1.74-10.58).

The sleep quality of ICU nurses was significantly associated with work functioning. Addressing sleep-related challenges is essential to ensuring high-quality patient care and the overall sustainability of the nursing profession.