Shift nurses' social jetlag, anxiety, and premenstrual symptoms: A cross-sectional study

Background: Although rotating shifts are essential for nurses to ensure optimal patient care, rotating shifts expose them to an imbalanced circadian rhythm. Shift work leads to nurses experiencing diminished sleep quality, which affects their wakefulness and judgment, curtails work performance, and affects care quality. Aim: To investigate the relationship among social jetlag, anxiety, and premenstrual symptoms in nurses working in 8-hour rotating shifts Methods: Participants were 194 shift-working nurses in three South Korean university hospitals from March 21 to April 2 in 2021. Chronotype and social jetlag were assessed using the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire for Shift Workers. Anxiety was measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory X-1. Premenstrual symptoms were measured using the Shortened Premenstrual Assessment Form. This crosssectional study adheres to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Findings: Among participants, the mean overall social jetlag was 3 hours 45 minutes. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that social jetlag (on evening shift) and anxiety significantly influenced nurses' premenstrual symptoms. Moreover, individuals' chronotype and preference to work the night shift were identified as predictors of premenstrual symptoms. Discussion: Nurses working on shifts are bound to experience greater social jetlag compared with the general population and are at an elevated risk of deteriorated quality of life. Nursing managers should consider individuals' chronotypes and social jetlag when establishing shift schedules and identify strategies that relieve anxiety in nurses working in rotating shifts. Conclusion: Social jetlag and anxiety adversely affect premenstrual symptoms in female nurses working in 8-hour rotating shifts.