Systematic review of shift work and nurses’ health

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 237-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Rosa ◽  
S Terzoni ◽  
F Dellafiore ◽  
A Destrebecq

Abstract Background Nursing is characterized by a working articulation in shifts to ensure continuity of care throughout the 24 h. However, shift work and the resulting desynchronization of circadian rhythms may have adverse effects on nurses’ health. Aims To describe the effects of shift work and desynchronization of circadian rhythms on nurse’s health. Methods Databases: PubMed, Cinahl, Scopus, Embase and Ilisi. Search terms (free terms, MeSH): ‘nurses’, ‘shiftwork’, ‘nightwork’, ‘sleep disorder, circadian rhythm’, ‘work schedule tolerance’, ‘breast neoplasm’, ‘metabolic syndrome X’, ‘metabolic cardiovascular syndrome’, ‘Cardiovascular disease’, ‘stress’, ‘diabetes’. We included all randomized controlled trials, observational studies, reviews and papers studying nurses’ shift work. Quality assessment of the retrieved papers was verified according to Dixon-Woods checklist. Results Twenty-four articles were analyzed. Literature review has shown that shift work involves an alteration in psychophysical homeostasis, with a decrease in performance. It is an obstacle for social and family relationships, as well as a risk factor for stress, sleep disorders, metabolic disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and breast cancer. Conclusions An organized ergonomic turnaround can be less detrimental to the health of nurses and more beneficial for the healthcare providers. Therefore, we suggest organizing studies to assess whether improving nurses’ health would lead to a reduction in miscarriages, absenteeism and work-related stress.

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A118-A118
Author(s):  
Gabriela Caetano ◽  
Laura Kervezee ◽  
Fernando Gonzales-Aste ◽  
Philippe Boudreau ◽  
Diane Boivin

Abstract Introduction National reports of work-related injuries found the excess risk of work injury attributed to shift work to be significantly higher among women. The Working Time Society (WTS) concluded that male sex is one of the few factors that is “consistently associated with perceived or actual shift work tolerance”. However, it is unclear if physiological parameters are involved. Laboratory-controlled studies report sex differences in circadian rhythms (body temperature, melatonin). In sleep deprivation protocols, alertness and cognitive performances were affected by sex, menstrual cycle phase and hormonal contraceptives [HC] use. Nevertheless, field studies that compare male and female shift workers are scarce. Methods An observational study including 76 police officers working on patrol: 56 males and 20 females (11 using [HC], 6 not using [non-HC] and 3 with unknown use of hormonal contraception) aged 32.0 ± 5.3 years. Participants were followed throughout a month-long work cycle (1,457 morning, evening, night, or other shifts, plus rest days). They filled out time-stamped questionnaires (Samn-Perelli, KSS, Visual Analogue Scales, ~5/day; sleep and work-related information, ~1–2/day), completed 5-min Psychomotor Vigilance Tasks (PVT, ~2/day), and wore an actigraph to collect activity data. Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the effects of group, time awake and time-of-day on fatigue, sleepiness, alertness, mood and PVT measures. Results Self-reported measures and psychomotor performance significantly varied with time awake and time-of-day. Fatigue and sleepiness levels were significantly higher among female compared to male police officers, both with time awake and across the 24-h day. These variations were similar between non-HC females and the other groups. Compared to males, HC females were more fatigued and less alert, both with time awake and across the 24-h day, and sleepier with time awake. Having children at home did not explain these differences. Conclusion The results of this study expand our knowledge on the sex differences in the sleep and circadian physiology and demonstrate a critical effect of HC on women fatigue, sleepiness and alertness when working shifts. Sex and hormonal parameters must be considered in occupational medicine as well as in future laboratory and field studies on shift workers and circadian rhythms. Support (if any) IRSST, FRQS.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Janaína Cristina da Silva ◽  
Anderson Garcez ◽  
Gabriela Herrmann Cibeira ◽  
Heloísa Theodoro ◽  
Maria Teresa Anselmo Olinto

Abstract Objectives: To explore the relationship between work-related stress and obesity among female shift workers. Additionally, we also aimed to test the interaction between shift work and work-related stress in this association. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Brazilian female shift workers. Work-related stress was assessed through a demand–control questionnaire (Job Stress Scale). Work-related stress was defined by the presence of high psychological demands and low control at work. The obesity cases were defined as those with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more. Multivariate Poisson regression with robust variance was used to obtain the prevalence ratios (PR) and their respective 95 % CI. Setting: A group of industries located in southern Brazil in 2017. Participants: Four hundred and twenty female workers aged 18–59 years. Results: The overall prevalence of obesity was 30 % (95 % CI: 25·6, 34·4), and the presence of work-related stress was identified in 24 % (95 % CI: 19·9, 28·1) of the sample. We found an indication of interaction between work-related stress and night shift work on obesity (P = 0·026). After adjusting for confounding factors, work-related stress was associated with a 71 % greater probability of obesity (PR = 1·71; 95 % CI: 1·02, 2·87; P = 0·042) among female night shift workers. Conclusions: In this study, we revealed that exposure to work-related stress and night shift work were associated with obesity among female shift workers. Furthermore, the prevalence of obesity was high among female shift workers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-87
Author(s):  
K. Vangelova ◽  
I. Dimitrova ◽  
I. Cekova ◽  
R. Stoyanova

Abstract Prevalence of shift work and occupational stress is one of the highest in nursing compared to other sectors. For years Bulgaria is facing nurses’ shortage, which contributes to their long working hours. The aim of the study was to follow the working time arrangements, stressors and health symptoms in hospital nurses in Sofia. Methods: The study is cross-sectional and comprised 1292 female nurses of average age 50.0 ± 10.2 years from 19 hospitals in Sofia. The anonymous questionnaire was filled, including demographic information, working hours and shift system, with special attention to night work and long working hours, stress and health symptoms. Statistical analysis was carried using SPSS. Results: The shift work, night work, including 5 and more night shifts per month and the extended shifts were common among the studied nurses with the greatest deal of the emergency and intensive care unit nurses, followed by department nurses. The high rates of overtime and second job contributed to long working hours of 51-60 hours per week in 16.9 % of the nurses and > 61 hours in 11.1 %. About 90 % of the nurses felt under strain and experienced emotional dissonance while working with patients. Work-related stress, night work and long working hours were related to self-rated emotional and physical exhaustion and poor health. Discussion: The work-related stress, night work and the long working hours raise health concerns for occupational health of hospital nurses. Urgent preventive measures are needed to control stress and reduce working hours and night work.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 721-721
Author(s):  
Naoko Muramatsu ◽  
Lijuan Yin ◽  
Maria Caceres ◽  
Jordan Skowronski

Abstract Homecare has increased its value as an alternative to nursing homes and adapted to evolving COVID-19 challenges. However, little is known about how COVID-19 has impacted community-dwelling older adults who need assistance with daily activities, including dressing, cooking, and shopping. Guided by the stress process framework, this mixed-method study examined how older homecare recipients experienced the acute and chronic stress during the first eight months of the pandemic, focusing on the role of home care aides (HCAs) in the context of Medicaid-funded in-home services. Thirty-five dyads of care recipients and HCAs participated in a COVID telephone survey as part of a larger study. Care recipients were typically older minority (40% African American, 31% Latinx) women (77%). Their COVID-related anxiety level, assessed by a 6-item Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (1 “not at all” to 4 “very much”), was 2.2 (SD=0.9). While COVID-19 drastically reduced contacts with family members and healthcare providers, HCAs continued to provide care in person. One care recipient said, “Fortunately, I still have my HCA come and that keeps me sane.” HCAs showed resilience while facing their own family- and work-related stress: “I have followed the rules and just adapted. (COVID) did not affect the activities for my client.” Some dyads, however, experienced care disruptions because of COVID infection or fear in one or both parties. COVID-19 has demonstrated homecare resilience at the person-, dyad-, and organization-levels, calling for equitable, sustainable home-based care for a growing number of older adults who desire to stay in the home.


Author(s):  
Giusi Briguglio ◽  
Michele Teodoro ◽  
Sebastiano Italia ◽  
Francesca Verduci ◽  
Manuela Pollicino ◽  
...  

Work organization, such as shifts and night work, can interfere with the perception of work-related stress and therefore on the development of pathological conditions. Night shift work, particularly, can have a negative impact on workers’ wellbeing by interfering with the biological sphere. The aim of this study is to evaluate the associations between work activities, shift work effects and stress-related responses in 106 dock workers enrolled in southeast Italy. Dock workers’ tasks consist of complex activities that seemed to affect more sleep quality than work-related stress. An analysis of salivary biomarkers such as cortisol, α-amylase, melatonin and lysozyme was performed along with validated psycho-diagnostic questionnaires. Alpha-amylase showed a significant negative correlation with the effort/reward imbalance score; thus, the measurement of salivary α-amylase is proposed as a sensitive and non-invasive biomarker of work-related stress. This study may provide new insights into developing strategies for the management of night shift work. Salivary biomarkers should be further investigated in the future in order to develop simple and effective tools for the early diagnosis of work-related stress or its outcomes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 1432-1438 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Bowden ◽  
S. Mukherjee ◽  
L.  K. Williams ◽  
S. DeGraves ◽  
M. Jackson ◽  
...  

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