Indian Journal of Sleep Medicine

Register      Login

VOLUME 9 , ISSUE 2 ( April-June, 2014 ) > List of Articles

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effects of shift work on the quality of sleep and psychological health of the professional nurse

Atif Mahmood, Kiran Punjwani, Asima Faisal

Keywords : Nurses, Shift schedule, Mental health status, GHQ, PSQI.

Citation Information : Mahmood A, Punjwani K, Faisal A. Effects of shift work on the quality of sleep and psychological health of the professional nurse. Indian Sleep Med 2014; 9 (2):68-73.

DOI: 10.5958/0974-0155.2014.01107.3

License: NA

Published Online: 01-03-2018

Copyright Statement:  NA


Abstract

Introduction: In modern society, shift work is very common, and health professionals, especially nurses, are bound to work in shift duties to provide round-the-clock health care to their patients throughout the year. Shift work disorder is a circadian rhythm disorder that is associated with sleep problems and sleepiness that usually occurs with the shift work. Objective: To identify the effects of shift work on the quality of sleep and psychological health of professional nurses. Methodology: The research was conducted in different public and private hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan, on nurses with shift schedules. Results: Presently around 65.8% nurses performed eight night shifts per month and around 34.2% do more than eight night shifts per month. Various problems come across by nurses during shift work, which include physical, social, economic, psychological, and physiological health issues. Problems vary from individual to individual. Sleep quality of nurses was evaluated by using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and majority of nurses (56.3%) experienced poor sleep quality due to night shifts. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that shift duties caused physiological and psychological stress to nurses who work in shifts. Only few nurses preferred to work in shift duties. Thus, it was concluded that sleep evaluation strategies should be formulated to improve the quality of sleep and improve the process in delivering of quality of care to sick patients.


PDF Share
  1. Coffey LC, Skipper JK, Jung FD. Nurses and shift work: Effects on job performance and job-related stress. J Adv Nurs 1988; 13(2): 245–54.
  2. Bull FC, Adams EJ, Hooper PL. Well@ Work: Promoting Active and Healthy Workplaces Final Evaluation Report. Loughborough: Loughborough University, 2008.
  3. Axelsson J, T Akerstedt, Kecklund G, Lindqvist A, Attefors R. Hormonal changes in satisfied and dissatisfied shift workers across a shift cycle. J Appl Physiol 2003; 95(5): 2099–105.
  4. Brown-DeGagne AM, Eskes GA. Turning body time to shift time. Canadian Nurse 1998; 94(8): 51–2.
  5. Vidacek S, Kaliterna L, Radosevic-Vidacek B, Folkard S. Productivity on a weekly rotating shift system: circadian adjustment and sleep deprivation effects? Ergonomics 1986; 29(12): 1583–90.
  6. Banks S, Dinges DF. Behavioral and physiological consequences of sleep restriction. J Clin Sleep Med 2007; 3(5): 519.
  7. Knutsson A. Health disorders of shift workers. Occup Med 2003; 53(2): 103–8.
  8. Megdal SP, Kroenke CH, Laden F, Pukkala E, Schernhammer ES. Night work and breast cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Cancer 2005; 41(13): 2023–32.
  9. Meijman TF, Thunnissen MJ, de Vries-Griever AGH. The after-effects of a prolonged period of day-sleep on subjective sleep quality. Work Stress 1990; 4(1): 65–70.
  10. Datta S, MacLean RR. Neurobiological mechanisms for the regulation of mammalian sleep-wake behavior: Reinterpretation of historical evidence and inclusion of contemporary cellular and molecular evidence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2007; 31(5): 775–824.
  11. Reinberg A, Ashkenazi I. Internal desynchronization of circadian rhythms and tolerance to shift work. Chronobiol Int 2008; 25(4): 625–43.
  12. Wright Jr KP, Bogan RK, Wyatt JK. Shift work and the assessment and management of shift work disorder (SWD). Sleep Med Rev 2013; 17(1): 41–54.
  13. Piccinelli M, Bisoffi G, Bon MG, Cunico L, Tansella M. Validity and test-retest reliability of the Italian version of the 12- item General Health Questionnaire in general practice: a comparison between three scoring methods. Compr Psychiatry 1993; 34(3): 198–205.
  14. Tennant C. The general health questionnaire: a valid index of psychological impairment in Australian populations. Med J Aust 1977; 2(12): 392–4.
  15. Buysse DJ, Reynolds CF 3rd, Monk TH, Berman SR, Kupfer DJ. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: A new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res 1989; 28(2): 193–213.
  16. Sallinen M, Kecklund G. Shift work, sleep, and sleepiness— differences between shift schedules and systems. Scand J Work Environ Health 2010; 36(2): 121–33.
  17. Suzuki K, Ohida T, Kaneita Y, Yokoyama E, Miyake T, Harano S, et al. Mental health status, shift work, and occupational accidents among hospital nurses in Japan. J Occup Health 2004; 46(6): 448–54.
  18. Ohida T, Kamal AMM, Sone T, Ishii T, Uchiyama M, Minowa M, et al. Night-shift work related problems in young female nurses in Japan. J Occup Health 2001; 43(3): 150–6.
  19. Zverev YP, Misiri HE. Perceived effects of rotating shift work on nurses’ sleep quality and duration. Malawi Med J 2009; 21(1): 19–21.
  20. Flo E, Pallesen S, Mageroy N, Moen BE, Gronli J, Hilde Nordhus I, et al. Shift work disorder in nurses—assessment, prevalence and related health problems. PLoS One 2012; 7(4): e33981.
  21. Madide S. Effect of night shift schedules on nurses working in a private hospital in South Africa. J Luella Univ Technol 2003; 58(3): 97–103.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.