Effects of disturbed sleep on work ability and well-being among european nurses

Aim: This study is aimed at assessing whether disturbed sleep predict impaired work ability and other psycho-physical work-related outcomes among European nurses working in different shift systems. Methods: A cohort of 10301 staff nurses working in state-owned and private hospitals in 8 European countries has been examined within the framework of the Nurses’ Early Exit Study. A one-year follow-up study was conducted with data collected through self-administered questionnaires. A 4-item scale assessed sleep quality and quantity. Sleep was split into tertiles on the basis of sample distribution. Four dichotomized outcomes were considered: emotional exhaustion, job dissatisfaction, thinking of quitting nursing, and the Work Ability Index. For each outcome, a multivariate logistic regression model was conducted to predict the risk of becoming a new disease case one year later, with adjustments made for country, age, gender, employment contract, family status, possibility to find another job in health care in the same area, work to familiy conflict and influence at work. Results: In the adjusted analysis, being in the lower sleep tertiles was prospectively associated with an increased risk for health and well-being across all outcomes considered, with Odds Ratios ranging from 1.34 to 2.88. Job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion resulted as the most affected outcomes.