ABSTRACT
SUMMARY Shift work increases the risk of suffering physiological and psychological alterations, due to the sleep disorders that it usually produces in the staff with this type of workday. OBJECTIVE: Analyze the influence of shift work on sleep quality in the nursing staff of the emergency department of the University Hospital of Leon. METHODS: A total of 70 emergency department nurses aged between 24-56 years were divided into two groups (rotating shift and fixed morning or afternoon shift). The Pittsburgh sleep quality index was used for this purpose. In order to establish differences between the two groups, a bivariate analysis was performed using the χ² test. RESULTS: The results showed that both groups had "rather poor" subjective sleep quality, with scores of 8.5 for fixed shift versus. 6.3 for a rotating shift. The group of nurses' rotating shifts slept an average of 5.39 hours compared to 7.47 hours for a fixed shift. Significant differences were found in sleep latency, sleep disturbances, and the use of sleep medication, with more negative results for the rotating shift. CONCLUSIONS: Rotating shift produces a poor quality of sleep compared to a fixed morning or afternoon shift, and it would be interesting for the center itself to establish sleep improvement and sleep hygiene programs.