Aims To examine the effects of work–family conflicts and sleep quality on the self‐perceived health status and the mediating effect of sleep quality on the relationship between work–family conflicts and self‐perceived health status among hospital nurses. Background Studies related to hospital nurses’ work–family conflicts, sleep quality and health status are noteworthy but limited. Methods A total of 575 hospital nurses in Taiwan were recruited. Data were collected using the work–family conflicts Scale, Chinese Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Chinese Health Questionnaire. Independent t‐tests, chi‐squared tests, multivariate linear regression analyses and the Sobel test were used for analysis. Results Fifty‐six per cent of all subjects reported having good health. Significantly more nurses with good sleep reported good health than those with poor sleep (84.2% vs. 44.9%, p < 0.0001). The difference in overall work–family conflict scores between the good health group and poor health group was significant (37.3 ± 12.7 vs. 46.3 ± 14.3, p < 0.0001). The correlation between overall work–family conflicts and the self‐perceived health status was indirect, and sleep quality was a mediator (Sobel test: 5.007, p < 0.001). Conclusions and Implications for Nursing Management Work–family conflicts and poor sleep quality of hospital nurses were associated with poor health. Shift work influences the sleep quality, which mediates the correlation between work–family conflicts and self‐perceived health status. Hospital administrators should be aware of these stressful factors and the health of hospital nurses can be better promoted.