Investigating the Relationship between Job Procrastination and Sleep Quality with the Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation in Nurses Working at Public Hospitals in Shiraz

Background Nurses' procrastination can negatively impact care quality and patient safety.Understanding this phenomenon helps identify underlying factors and inform preventive strategies that enhance occupational performance and health.This study aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational procrastination and sleep quality among nurses, considering the mediating role of emotion regulation.Methods This descriptive and cross-sectional correlational research employed structural equation modeling.The statistical population included nurses working in public hospitals in Shiraz.A total of 250 nurses (125 women and 125 men) were selected through convenience sampling based on predetermined inclusion criteria.Data collection tools included the Safarinia and Amirkhani-Razligui Organizational Procrastination Questionnaire, the Gross and John Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-26 and AMOS software within the framework of structural equation modeling. ResultsModeling results confirmed a structural relationship between occupational procrastination and sleep quality mediated by emotion regulation.The fit indices indicated acceptable goodness of fit (/df = 2.07, GFI = 0.91, AGFI = 0.92, NFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.92, CFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.06).Sleep quality showed a negative association with procrastination ( = -0.54,p < 0.01), a negative association with adaptive emotion regulation ( = -0.49,p < 0.01), and a positive association with maladaptive emotion regulation ( = 0.47, p < 0.01).The indirect effect of adaptive emotion regulation on occupational procrastination was negative and significant ( = -0.58,p < 0.01), while the indirect effect of maladaptive emotion regulation was positive and significant ( = 0.43, p < 0.01). ConclusionThe findings provide a framework for explaining occupational procrastination among nurses.It is recommended that mental health professionals incorporate training in positive emotion regulation and strategies to enhance sleep quality as practical interventions to reduce procrastination in clinical settings.