Sleep and Professional Burnout in Nurses, Nursing Technicians, and Nursing Assistants During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic may trigger sleep disorders and burnout in nursing professionals.

Purpose: This study was designed to describe the occurrence of sleep disorders and burnout in a nursing team during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the associated factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional approach was used. The questionnaire was administered via the Internet. All of the participants were nursing professionals who had provided care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and data were collected between June and August 2020. Sociodemographic and work characterization instruments, the Jenkins Sleep Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory were used.

Results: Five hundred seventy-two nursing professionals (nurses, nursing technicians, and nursing assistants) responded. Slightly over one quarter (26.4%) presented a sleep disorder, and 17.3% presented burnout. Professional category was a factor found to be associated with having a sleep disorder. Moreover, a lower prevalence both of disorders and of starting to use sleep medication was found among nurses than nursing assistants. Moreover, an association was found between having a high level of emotional exhaustion burnout and being a nursing technician, having a higher number of patients needing care, and starting to use sleep medication. The level of burnout related to depersonalization was significantly higher for nursing assistants, those with a weekly workload of 50 hours or more, and those starting to use sleep medication. Furthermore, burnout related to personal accomplishment was significantly higher in those starting to use sleep medication. Among the participants with sleep disorders, according to Jenkins Sleep Scale results, all of the participants presented a high or moderate level of emotional exhaustion and a high level of burnout related to personal accomplishment.

Conclusions/implications for practice: The findings indicate that the incidence of sleep disorders and burnout were high among nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and mainly related with starting to use sleep medication. The results demonstrate the importance of detecting and assessing the frequency of sleep disorders and professional exhaustion. Interventions that aim to improve sleep quality and working conditions for these professionals should be developed.