Evaluating the role of heart rate variability in monitoring stress and sleep quality among nurses in the aftermath of the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

AbstractAimTo assess heart rate variability (HRV) as a measure to assess job stress and sleep quality among nurses in the post‐COVID‐19 period.BackgroundThe COVID‐19 pandemic significantly affected nurses, with heightened job stress and impaired sleep quality impacting their well‐being and effectiveness in patient care. HRV could offer insights for supporting strategies in the pandemic aftermath.DesignA quantitative cross‐sectional study.MethodsThis study involved 403 clinical nurses recruited from a teaching hospital in Taiwan. Data on job stress, work frustration, sleep quality and HRV were collected and analysed.ResultsAmong the nurses surveyed during the COVID‐19 pandemic, 72.7% reported poor sleep quality (PSQI = 9.369). Job stress emerged as a strong predictor of work frustration. High stress levels and poor sleep quality were correlated with significantly decreased HRV, indicating a potential physiological impact of stress on the nurses' health and well‐being.ConclusionsHRV is a valuable and cost‐effective measure for monitoring and managing nurses' well‐being in the post‐COVID‐19 era. Targeted interventions can be implemented to support nurses' overall performance and promote their well‐being by identifying those at high risk of job stress and poor sleep quality.