Background: Adequate sleep quality is essentially for human‘s capability, resilience and wellbeing. Studies showed an association of sleep quality on health and productivity. Especially in the health care sector it is mandatory to work continuous in different shifts for patients’ good. Therefore it is necessary to determine this possible association to develop measures and increase patient safety.

Method: Quantitative approach using a cross sectional study with paper and online based questionnaires following the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). Shift working nurses (n=86) and non-shift working administration staff (n=43) from 2 nursing homes, 1 hospital and 1 outpatient care service all located in northern Germany were inquired during May 2017. Responded questionnaires were analysed with MS-Excel software.

Results: We identified that 63 % of the admin staff and 51 % of nurses stated to sleep sufficient and restful (n=129). Approximately 37 % of nurses and 30 % of admin staff claimed about bad quality of sleep. Both groups reported more inattentiveness and irritableness as consequence of sleep deficiency. Only 8 % of nurses and 12 % of admin staff denied any sleep deficiencies. Both groups perceived, stress‘as most impeding to fall asleep followed by: pain, impeding biorhythm and sleeping disorders’;. Most of both group participants mentioned: Sport, to take a walk, good food and praying as their coping strategies.

Conclusions: Evidence between shift work and sleep quality to disadvantage of nurses were identified. Bad sleep quality seems to threat health and treatment. Interestingly participants had the same coping strategies. Avoidance of swing shifts might be beneficial for shift working employeesʼ sleep quality.

Biography:
Gabriel Spieker born 1989 is an educated experienced geriatric nurse who worked in different Health Care areas as hospitals, nursing homes and outpatient care services in several positions as nurse, project manager and research assistant. He studied Health Care Management, Public Health and Political Sciences in Bremen (Germany) and Tampere (Finland). He holds a Bachelor degree (B.A) in Public Health, a long-time member-ship in the German Red Cross Association and the German Association for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemio-logy (GMDS). At the moment he works as nurse in an outpatient care service in Hamburg (Germany).