Introduction: Nursing students frequently encounter the challenge of balancing their studies with the demanding requirements of hands-on practice and this can greatly affect their mental wellbeing. This study aimed to investigate the impact of sleep and psychological well-being on the academic and clinical performance of nursing students in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: This study used a cross-sectional approach with 218 student nurses selected through convenience sampling from King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. The sleep quality, psychological wellbeing, academic performance and clinical performance questionnaires were adopted to measure the variables. The Google Forms survey was used to gather the data, which were collected in August through October 2023. t-test and chi-square were used to analyze the data.
Results: The sleep quality was higher with good/very good performers (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference with academic performance on positive relations (p < 0.007) and purpose in life (p < 0.004). Additionally, there was a significant difference in autonomy (p < 0.01), environmental mastery (p < 0.026), positive relations (p < 0.001), and purpose in life (p < 0.001) with clinical performance. Among students with good academic performance, those who were older than 25 years of age (p < 0.043) and level 3 students (p < 0.001) were found to have a significant correlation. Furthermore, those who were 25 years of age (p < 0.012) and level 3 students (p < 0.001) were also found to have a significant correlation with clinical performance.
Conclusion: The sleep quality, positive relations, purpose in life, autonomy, and environmental mastery are all important factors for academic and clinical success. Moreover, older students and level 3 students may be more likely to have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in these areas. Further research exploring factors influencing academic and clinical success must be conducted.
Keywords: Saudi Arabia; academic performance; clinical performance; nursing students; psychological well-being; sleep quality.
© 2024 Benjamin et al.