TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF POWER NAP ON LEVEL OF ALERTNESS AMONG NURSING INTERNS WORKING DURING NIGHT SHIFT

Background: Nursing interns frequently work long night shifts, predisposing them to fatigue, reduced alertness, and a higher risk of clinical errors. Strategic power naps are underutilized in Indian healthcare settings despite evidence of their benefits. Objective: To evaluate the effect of a short power nap on the alertness level of night duty nursing interns using a reaction time test. Methods: A quantitative research approach with a quasi-experimental (one-group pre-test post-test) design was adopted. A purposive sample of 70 nursing interns working night shifts at Sharda Hospital was selected. Data were collected using a demographic profile sheet and the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) to assess reaction time before and 30 minutes after a scheduled 10-15 minute nap. Results: The majority of participants were female (70%) and aged 23-25 years (82.9%). The mean pre-nap reaction time was 645.73 ± 93.09 ms, which significantly improved to 327.30 ± 43.21 ms post-nap. The paired t-test demonstrated a highly significant statistical difference (t = 26.291, df = 69, p < 0.001). Conclusion: A 10-minute power nap significantly reduces reaction time and improves alertness among nursing interns during night shifts. Incorporating brief, scheduled naps into hospital policies is recommended as a cost-effective strategy to minimize fatigue and enhance patient safety Keywords: Power nap; alertness; night duty; nursing interns; fatigue management; psychomotor vigilance test (PVT)