Effects of Psychological Intervention Based on the Self-Transcendence Theory on the Sleep Quality of Chinese Nurses.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, front-line clinical nurses in three Chinese hospitals had poor sleep quality, with 45.46% reporting poor sleep (PSQI > 7), 57.10% under excessive stress, and 62% scoring 50 or higher on the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. A 2-month psychological intervention based on self-transcendence theory significantly lowered PSQI scores compared to a control group. The intervention effectively improved sleep quality, offering a reference for protecting nurses' physical and mental health during epidemics.

Study at a glance

Abstract

COVID-19 infection is transmitted easily and quickly, exposing medical care workers, especially nursing workers, to tremendous stress. Therefore, identifying the factors influencing the sleep quality of nurses and implementing corresponding interventions are conducive to improving the sleep quality of nurses and enhancing their nursing quality. Form September to December 2022, a survey-based evaluation was conducted on 1074 front-line clinical nurses randomly selected from three hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China. Based on the survey results, 152 nurses were selected and randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group, with 76 nurses in each group. A 2-month psychological intervention based on the self-transcendence theory was conducted, and the two groups were compared before and after the intervention. The average PSQI score of nurses was 7.19±3.65, with 471 of them suffering from poor sleep (PSQI>7), accounting for 45.46%. In addition, 57.10% of the nurses were under excessive stress, whereas 62% of them had a Self-Rating Anxiety Scale score of ≥50. After the intervention, the PSQI score of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group, with the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05). Clinical nurses in tertiary hospitals have poor sleep quality and more severe stress and anxiety problems during COVID-19 than during non-epidemic periods. Clinical interventions based on the self-transcendence theory can effectively improve the sleep quality of nurses. Results of this study provide reference for enhancing the sleep quality of nurses and ensuring their physical and mental health during epidemic.