Objective: To determine the relationship between sleep quality and psychological distress among nursing interns from a public University in Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: This quantitative descriptive correlational study included 115 nurse interns. We used Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), which consists of 10 items measuring anxiety and depressive symptoms, and the Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), comprising 28 items to evaluate sleep quality.
Results: The mean SQS score was 49.97±13.36, while the mean K10 scale score was 18.98±9.46. Among the studied nurses, 47.8% were likely to have a psychological disorder: 27.8% had mild, 9.6% moderate, and 10.4% severe disorder. The percentage of participants likely to have a severe disorder was significantly higher among those with middle incomes and female nurses. Participants with middle incomes had a significantly higher mean SQS score, and a highly significant positive correlation was found between SQS scores and K10 scale scores.
Conclusion: This study highlights a strong link between poor sleep quality and psychological distress among nursing interns, influenced by gender, workload, and shift scheduling. Healthcare institutions should address these issues through improved scheduling, mentorship, and mental health resources.
Key words: Nursing interns, sleep quality, psychological distress, mental health.
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