Sleep quality among shift-work nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim: We systematically reviewed the quality of sleep measurement instruments applied to shift-work nurses and analyzed the effects of intervention research. Background: There is a need to test the effects of experimental studies worldwide that conducted interventions to improve the sleep quality of nurses who work shiftwork. Methods: In this systematic literature review and meta-analysis, we used PICO (Participant, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome) and searched for papers in Korean and English published up until August 2018. We utilized Cochrane Review Manager Software 5.3. Results: Thirteen articles from 1991 to 2018 were included in the systematic literature review, and 6 of those were used in a meta-analysis. The instrument used most often to asses subjective sleep quality was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Additionally, an actigraph and sleep logs were used to collect physiological data about participants' sleep quality. Intervention types were categorized into aroma-inhalation therapy, shift-rotation interventions, physical-activity interventions, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Ultimately, the effects of the aroma-inhalation therapy intervention significantly improved shift-work nurses' sleep quality. Conclusions: We established a basic understanding of a strategy to measure and improve participants' sleep quality. Consequently, sleep interventions that can positively promote nurses' health and foster effective job performance should be developed.