The Factors Related to the Quality of Sleep in Nursing Students

Abstract

This research was a descriptive study on the quality of sleep and factors related to the quality of sleep in nursing students at a Public College of Nursing in academic year 2021. The 304 participants lived in the dormitory at the college from April to September 2020. Here were four research instruments, consisting of 1) an individual data sheet; 2) a stress measurement from the Department of Mental Health (SPST- 20) with 20 items; 3) a Lifestyle Questionnaire with four parts that covered predisposing factors (gender, age, and year class), precipitating factors (accommodation, number of residents, and stress), and perpetuating factors(using media online, exercising, drinking tea/coffee, and regularly using drugs); and 4) the Sleep Quality Assessment Form (Pittsburgh et al.: PSQI) in Thai. The research tool had a Cronbach alpha of .90. Data analysis was performed using frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviations. Correlations were analyzed using Spearman and Pearson correction coefficients between the predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors for sleep quality.

Results: The sample consisted of 304 students, most were female (95.4%). The average age was 20.6 years (S.D.) and had high levels (42%) of stress. They used online social media for an average of 5.5 hours daily, did not exercise (45.4%), drank at least a cup of tea/coffee per day (60.5%), and there were 2 participants who took regularly prescribed medications, namely Nortriptyline and Diazepam. Most of the participants had poor sleep quality (75.3%). Age and year class had a statistically significant negative correlation with poor sleep quality (r=-.132, p .02 and r=-.141, p. 014, respectively). Drinking tea/coffee and stress were positively statistically significantly correlated with poor sleeping quality (r=.17, p .003 and r=.408, p= .00, respectively). From these results it can be determined that educational institutions should organize programs or activities that help and promote sleep quality for students and help them find ways to deal with stress factors that affect the quality of future graduates.