Sense of coherence on the relationship between COVID‐19‐related stress and sleep quality among nurses

Aim We aimed to examine the mediating effects of the Sense of Coherence (SOC) on the relationship between stress and sleep in nurses during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Methods A cross‐sectional survey targeting nurses in Chiba and Tokyo during the summer of 2021 was conducted using Google Forms. Responses were obtained using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the 13‐item version of the SOC scale (SOC‐13), and questions regarding COVID‐19‐related stress. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to investigate relevant relationships. Results A total of 181 valid responses were obtained from 400 surveyed nurses. SEM analysis showed that COVID‐19 stress was indirectly related to PSQI via its effect on SOC‐13, with higher SOC‐13 negatively correlated with PSQI. Conclusions Our findings suggest the need for interventions designed to promote SOC for nurses working under stressful conditions.