Clinical Scorecard: Efficacy of Digital and Mobile Interventions on Sleep Quality in Nursing Professionals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
At a Glance
Category
Detail
Condition
Sleep disturbances including poor sleep quality, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness in nurses
Key Mechanisms
Digital and mobile health interventions employing smartphone apps, wearable devices, online platforms for sleep monitoring, sleep hygiene education, cognitive-behavioural techniques, relaxation training, and real-time feedback
Target Population
Nursing professionals experiencing sleep disturbances and associated psychological distress
Care Setting
Occupational healthcare settings involving nurses with demanding work schedules and shift work
Key Highlights
Digital interventions significantly improved sleep quality (PSQI reduction) and reduced insomnia severity (ISI scores) in nurses.
Interventions also decreased daytime sleepiness (ESS), depression, anxiety, and fatigue but showed no significant effect on work-related stress.
Digital/mobile interventions offer accessible, cost-effective, and flexible options suitable for nurses’ fragmented time and shift work challenges.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Utilize validated scales such as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to assess sleep quality and disturbances in nurses.
Management
Implement digital and mobile-based interventions including smartphone applications, wearable devices, and online platforms focusing on sleep hygiene, cognitive-behavioural therapy, relaxation training, and real-time feedback.
Prioritize accessible and flexible intervention formats to accommodate nurses’ irregular schedules and shift work.
Monitoring & Follow-up
Regularly assess sleep quality and psychological outcomes using standardized tools (PSQI, ISI, ESS) to monitor intervention efficacy.
Monitor associated psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and fatigue alongside sleep parameters.
Risks
Be aware of variability in intervention efficacy due to heterogeneity in study designs and populations; further high-quality trials are needed to confirm benefits.
No significant impact on work-related stress was observed, indicating the need for complementary strategies addressing occupational stress.
Patient & Prescribing Data
Nurses experiencing sleep disturbances related to shift work, occupational stress, and psychological distress.
Digital and mobile interventions demonstrated moderate improvements in sleep quality and psychological well-being, suggesting their utility as adjunctive tools in occupational health management for nurses.
Clinical Best Practices
Incorporate validated sleep assessment tools routinely in nursing occupational health evaluations.
Select digital/mobile interventions tailored to nurses’ work patterns and time constraints to maximize adherence and effectiveness.
Combine sleep-focused digital interventions with broader occupational health strategies to address psychological distress and fatigue.
Encourage ongoing research and high-quality trials to refine digital intervention protocols specific to nursing populations.
