DOI: 10.5176/2315-4330_WNC13.43
Authors: Narumi Ooshige, Tae Yamaguchi, Mitsuyo Nakashima and Kazuo Minematsu
Abstract:
This study clarified the process of recovery from fatigue in Japanese nurses after a night shift in a two-shift rotation system. Physiological function is highly influenced by this rotation system. Thus, we predicted that Japanese nurses would complain of chronic fatigue syndrome. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 with a sample of 42 female nurses from a regional private hospital in Japan. Data on demographics and drowsiness, instability, uneasiness, dullness, and eyestrain were collected through a questionnaire . Subjective symptoms were evaluated at the following seven time points: pre- and post- day shift, pre-, middle-, and post- night shift, and pre-and post-holiday. Forty-two participants were divided into the recovery group or non-recovery group according to improvements in fatigue between pre- night shift and post-holiday. The results revealed that the non-recovery group experienced higher levels of all subjective symptoms than the recovery group (P < 0.05). Fatigue was not correlated with demographic factors such as age and clinical experience and the degree of busyness in the day and night shifts. The results suggest that we should not only manage human resources and the work environment in hospitals but also reconsider nurses’ lifestyles on holiday after night shift in order to improve their quality of life.
Keywords: 16-hours night shift, Fatigue feelings, Japanese female nurse
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