SLEEP QUALITY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH DEPRESSION AMONG PSYCHIATRIC NURSES: A SCOPING REVIEW

Background. Psychiatric nurses face high workloads and stress, contributing to sleep issues and depressive symptoms. This scoping review examines the relationship between sleep quality and depression among psychiatric nurses, highlighting research gaps and synthesizing existing evidence.
Materials and methods. A comprehensive literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Five databases - MEDLINE, SAGE Knowledge, Scopus®, PubMed, and Google Scholar—were searched using terms related to sleep quality and depression. Inclusion criteria focused on studies published between 2018 and 2022 that involved psychiatric nurses and measured both sleep quality and depression. Exclusion criteria eliminated studies not focusing on these specific variables or populations.
Results. Initially, 274 articles were identified, of which 22 were included in the final review after screening and eligibility assessments. These studies used various research designs, predominantly cross-sectional, and were conducted in diverse geographical settings, providing a broad spectrum of evidence. Most studies identified a strong correlation between poor sleep quality and higher levels of depression among psychiatric nurses. Shift work, particularly night shifts, was frequently associated with worse sleep quality and depressive symptoms. Tools such as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were
commonly used to assess outcomes.
Conclusion. The review confirms a significant association between sleep quality and depression among psychiatric nurses, exacerbated by demanding work conditions and shift patterns.
The findings underline the need for targeted interventions to improve sleep quality and manage depression, potentially enhancing overall well-being and job performance in this group.
Implications for Practice and Research. This review suggests that healthcare facilities
should consider structured interventions addressing shift scheduling, stress management, and mental health support. Future research should explore longitudinal relationships and intervention effectiveness, focusing on diverse populations and settings to generalize findings and enhance nurse well-being and patient care quality.