Sleep Deprivation and Fatigue among Nurses Working Consecutive Night Shifts: A Prospective Observational Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify changes in sleep patterns and fatigue levels during consecutive night shifts among shift nurses and to determine the association between sleep parameters and increased fatigue levels during work. METHODS: This prospective observational study employing ecological momentary assessments was conducted using data collected from 98 shift nurses working in Korean hospitals between June 2019 and February 2021. The sleep patterns were recorded using actigraphy. The participants reported their fatigue levels at the beginning and end of each night shift in real time via a mobile link. Linear mixed models were used for the analysis. RESULTS: Nurses spent significantly less time in bed and had shorter sleep durations during consecutive night shifts than on off-duty days, whereas their wake times after sleep onset were much longer on off-duty days than on on-duty days. Fatigue levels were higher on the second and third night-shift days than on the first night-shift days. A shorter time spent in bed and asleep was associated with a greater increase in fatigue levels at the end of the shift than at the beginning. CONCLUSION: Nurses experience significant sleep deprivation during consecutive night shifts compared with off-duty days, and this sleep shortage is associated with a considerable increase in fatigue levels at the end of shifts. Nurse managers and administrators must ensure sufficient intershift recovery time during consecutive night shifts to increase the time spent in bed and sleeping.

Psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Stanford Presenteeism Scale in a nurse population.

Presenteeism, which refers to going to work despite being ill, has been associated with loss of work productivity, decreased quality of care, and an increased risk of health problems. The prevalence of presenteeism is particularly high among nurses; therefore, a reliable and valid tool is needed to assess presenteeism. This study aimed to translate the Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS) and to examine its psychometric properties in a Korean nurse population. A methodological study was performed in January 2023. The original SPS-6 (English-language) was translated and adapted to the Korean language using a committee approach translation, cognitive interviews, and content validation with a review panel of experts. An online survey was completed by 608 Korean nurses. The internal consistency, item-to-total correlation, construct validity, concurrent validity, and discriminant validity were examined as psychometric properties of the Korean version of the SPS. The final version of the K-SPS consists of four items shortened from the original six items. Cronbach's alpha of the K-SPS-4 was 0.74, indicating adequate reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a one-factor solution with a good fit. There was a positive correlation between the K-SPS-4 and the Work Limitations Questionnaire. Discriminant validity was evidenced by the positive correlation of the K-SPS-4 with job satisfaction and the negative correlation with job stress. The K-SPS-4 has acceptable psychometric properties, supporting the feasibility of its use in assessing the level of presenteeism among Korean nurses. The validated K-SPS-4 can provide a basis for developing intervention programs to enhance productivity and promote health among nurses in clinical settings.

Barcode and radio frequency identification utilization varied across Korean hospitals.

Barcodes and radio frequency identification (RFID) are increasingly used in health care to improve patient safety. However, studies on their utilization in clinical settings are limited. This study aimed to comprehensively examine the utilization status of barcodes and RFID in Korean hospitals, recognize the effects and obstacles associated with utilization, and explore the measures to expand the applications of barcodes and RFID. A self-reported online survey was conducted in tertiary hospitals, general hospitals, hospitals, and nursing hospitals in the Republic of Korea. The survey questionnaire comprised questions on barcodes and RFID utilization status, the effect of barcodes and RFID utilization, measures to expand the utilization of barcodes and RFID, and information on respondents' demographics and hospitals. A representative from each of 23 tertiary hospitals, 101 general hospitals, 232 hospitals, and 214 nursing hospitals completed the survey (total response rate 17%). The data were analysed using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test to determine the differences in responses based on the type and characteristics of hospitals. The tertiary hospitals had the highest utilizations of both RFID and barcodes (n = 10, 43.5%), whereas the nursing hospitals had the lowest (n = 96, 55.1%). Barcodes and RFID were most commonly used in the visits and security management domains. However, the use of barcodes and RFID in medication dispensing and administration safety was low, despite its value in improving patient safety. The hospitals recognized the positive effect of utilization of barcodes and RFID, reporting the highest frequency for the prevention of patient safety incidents (n = 79, 85.9%). Nevertheless, the cost of barcodes and RFID facility investments (n = 128, 90.3%) appeared to be the greatest obstacle to the introduction of barcodes and RFID. Hence, barcodes and RFID facility investment support (n = 133, 95.5%) were given the highest priority among the measures to expand barcode and RFID utilization in health care. The utilization of barcodes and RFID varied across the type and domain of hospitals in the Republic of Korea. Hospitals recognized the positive effects of barcode and RFID utilization. Nonetheless, all hospitals were concerned about the cost of investment and maintenance of barcode and RFID facilities as the main obstacles to utilization. Therefore, a support plan must be developed for the cost of barcodes and RFID facility investments to expand barcode and RFID utilization in health care.

What are the key factors influencing newly graduated nurses' preference for choosing their workplace? A best-worst scaling approach.

INTRODUCTION: The literature cites many factors that influence a nurse's decision when choosing their workplace. However, it is unclear which attributes matter the most to newly graduated nurses. The study aimed to identify the relative importance of workplace preference attributes among newly graduated nurses. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: We conducted an online survey and data were collected in June 2022. A total of 1111 newly graduated nurses in South Korea participated. The study employed best-worst scaling to quantify the relative importance of nine workplace preferences and also included questions about participants' willingness to pay for each workplace preferences. The relationships between the relative importance of the workplace attribute and the willingness to pay were determined using a quadrant analysis. RESULTS: The order according to the relative importance of workplace preferences is as follows: salary, working conditions, organizational climate, welfare program, hospital location, hospital level, hospital reputation, professional development, and the chance of promotion. The most important factor, salary, was 16.67 times more important than the least important factor, the chance of promotion, in terms of choosing workplace. In addition, working conditions and organizational climate were recognized as high economic value indicators. CONCLUSION: Newly graduated nurses nominated better salaries, working conditions, and organizational climate as having a more important role in choosing their workplace. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings of this study have important implications for institutions and administrators in recruiting and retaining newly graduated nurses.

The Effectiveness of Telenursing Interventions on Patient Outcomes for Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review existing telenursing interventions for patients with colorectal cancer and determine the effects of such interventions on health-related quality of life and health care service utilization. DATA SOURCES: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis after protocol registration. International databases, including PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and CENTRAL and Korean databases, were searched. The last search was conducted on June 8, 2021. Two authors independently selected relevant studies, evaluated their methodological quality, and extracted data. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted using the statistical software STATA 16.0. Of the 223 articles retrieved, 7 were included for narrative synthesis and 3 were used for the meta-analysis. There were 857 patients in the telenursing group and 842 patients in the conventional group. Three studies applied theoretical frameworks for designing the intervention. CONCLUSION: The effect of telenursing intervention was not different from that of usual care. However, both readmission rates and emergency department visits were lower in the telenursing group than in the usual care group, although these trends were not statistically significant. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: These findings indicate that telenursing intervention did not differ from usual care in terms of health-related quality of life while reducing readmission and emergency department visits in a nonstatistically significant manner. Therefore, telenursing interventions could serve as a partial alternative to current face-to-face interventions for patients with colorectal cancer.

The Effects of Job Demand-control-support Profiles on Presenteeism: Evidence from the Sixth Korean Working Condition Survey.

Background: Presenteeism is closely related to work performance, work quality and quantity, and productivity at work. According to the job demand-control-support model, job demand, job control, and support play important roles in presenteeism. The present study investigated job characteristics profiles based on the job demand-control-support model and identify the association between job characteristics profiles and presenteeism. Methods: This secondary data analysis used the Sixth Korean Working Condition Survey, a nationwide cross-sectional dataset. The study included 25,361 Korean wage workers employed in the workplace with two or more workers. Participants were classified into four job characteristics profiles based on the job demand-control-support model, using latent profile analysis, and logistic regression was performed to examine the association between study variables. Results: Overall, 11.0 % of study participants reported experience of presenteeism in the past 12 months. Age, sex, location, monthly income, shift work, work hours, health problems, and sleep disturbances were significantly associated with presenteeism. The rate of presenteeism was the highest in the passive isolate group. The passive collective, active collective, and low-stain collective groups had a 23.0%, 21.0%, and 29.0% lower likelihood of experiencing presenteeism, respectively, than the passive isolate group. Conclusions: The job demand-control-support profiles and the risk of presenteeism were significantly associated. The most significant group that lowered the experience of presenteeism was the low-strain collective group, which had a low level of demand and high levels of control and support. Therefore, we need a policy to reduce job demand and increase job control and support at the organizational and national levels.

A systematic review and pooled prevalence of symptoms among childhood and adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the existing literature reporting symptoms in childhood and adolescent and young adult cancer survivors and to meta-analyse the pooled prevalence of symptoms. BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors experience various symptoms caused by cancer treatments and their late effects. These symptoms are associated with adverse health outcomes. However, estimates of symptom prevalence vary largely, and no comprehensive review of symptoms has been conducted for childhood and adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. DESIGN: A systematic review. METHODS: This systematic review is registered in PROSPERO registry and was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus and CINAHL were searched up to July 2021. Three investigators assessed the eligibility of studies, extracted data and performed quality assessment. The pooled prevalence of symptoms was calculated using a random-effect model. Subgroup analysis was conducted to identify heterogeneity. RESULTS: Sixty-one studies were used to synthesise symptom prevalence, involving 114,184 participants. There were 24 physical symptoms and 10 psychological symptoms reported in two or more studies. The most studied physical symptoms were fatigue and sleep disturbance, and the most studied psychological symptoms were anxiety and depression. Among physical symptoms, drowsiness had the highest prevalence, followed by dry mouth and fatigue. Among psychological symptoms, worry and nervousness had the highest prevalence, followed by difficulty concentrating. CONCLUSIONS: Physical and psychological symptoms are common in the target population. This review provides an up-to-date overview of symptom prevalence, identifying areas for future research. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Education about possible symptoms related to cancer and its treatment should be given while in treatment. Symptoms should also be monitored throughout the survivorship period. Nurses have a critical role in identifying and making referrals for psychological symptoms as well as promoting preventative strategies that enhance well-being.

Overtime and alertness of rotating-shift nurses: An observational study using ecological momentary assessment.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the effect of overtime on alertness at work among rotating-shift nurses in South Korea and to investigate whether these effects of overtime vary across the different types of shifts. BACKGROUND: Nurse overtime is prevalent in healthcare settings to manage nursing shortages and staffing needs; however, it negatively affects patient and nurse outcomes. Furthermore, little attention has been paid to the effects of previous overtime shifts and overtime for consecutive shifts on alertness during work. DESIGN: A prospective observational study was employed. The study followed STROBE checklist for observational studies. METHODS: Data were collected between June 2019 and February 2020 from 82 nurses who worked in acute care hospitals. An ecological momentary assessment was used to capture real-time data of overtime and alertness. Alertness scores were estimated using the sleep/wake data measured by an actigraph. Mixed-effect models were employed to investigate the association between overtime and alertness. RESULTS: A majority of the shift nurses worked overtime. Episodes of a decline in alertness scores to the level of increased accident or serious error risk (alertness score ≤80) were most frequently seen during night shifts (98.9%), followed by day (59.8%) and evening shifts (10.1%). Previous-day overtime hours and consecutive overtime days were associated with decreased alertness scores during work. A significantly positive correlation was observed between alertness scores ≤80 and previous-day overtime hours and consecutive overtime days in all shifts. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings indicate that a majority of nurses who work overtime experience decreased alertness while on duty. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Policy development at the government, organisational and unit level is needed to guarantee adequate rest for shift nurses by adjusting work schedules and assignments and limiting overtime.

How Do Sleep Disturbances Relate to Daytime Functions, Care-related Quality of Life, and Parenting Interactions in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Sleep disturbance is prevalent in caregivers and associated with negative physical, mental, and functional outcomes. This study examined the effects of sleep disturbance on daytime functions (sleepiness, fatigue, mood, cognitive alertness), care-related quality of life, and daily parenting interactions in 20 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder for 10 consecutive days using ecological momentary assessment design. Participants responded about daytime functions four times and care-related quality of life and daily parenting interactions once using an online survey. Sleep disturbance was significantly related to all daytime functions and frustration with childcare. Therefore, development of sleep hygiene interventions is warranted to effectively reduce the impact of sleep disturbance and enable these mothers to better tackle daily physical and mental challenges.

Work schedule characteristics associated with sleep disturbance among healthcare professionals in Europe and South Korea: a report from two cross-sectional surveys.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals worldwide are prone to sleep disturbance. Such sleep disturbance is associated with lower patient safety and quality of care. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the prevalence of sleep disturbance and determine the effect of work schedule characteristics on sleep disturbance among healthcare professionals in Europe and South Korea. METHODS: We used the sixth European Working Conditions Survey and the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey for analyses. The study included 2285 healthcare professionals aged 18-65 years. Work schedule characteristics included shift work, night work, working hours per week, long work hours (i.e., more than 10 hours per shift), quick return to work, having to come to work on short notice, and changes in work schedules. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of sleep disturbance was 37.7%. The multivariate logistic regression model indicated that long work hours, quick return to, having to come to work on short notice, and changes in work schedules were significant factors associated with sleep disturbance among healthcare professionals. CONCLUSION: The findings revealed that several work schedule-related factors were associated with sleep disturbances in healthcare professionals in Europe and Korea. Institutions and policymakers should implement strategies and policies to reduce the unpredictability of work schedules to ensure an adequate rest period between shifts and to reduce sleep disturbances.

Global prevalence of presenteeism in the nursing workforce: A meta-analysis of 28 studies from 14 countries.

AIMS: This study aimed to estimate the overall presenteeism prevalence in the nursing workforce. BACKGROUND: Nurses are more prone to presenteeism, which is associated with adverse outcomes for both nurses and patients. However, comprehensive information on the global prevalence of presenteeism in nursing workforce is lacking. EVALUATION: Seven databases were systematically searched without year or language restrictions in July 2021. Studies that reported the prevalence rate of presenteeism among nurses were included. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. KEY ISSUES: A total of 28 studies from 14 countries were included. The overall pooled estimate of presenteeism prevalence among nursing workforce was 49.2% (95% CI: 0.411, 0.574). Subgroup analyses showed that the prevalence of presenteeism was higher when the reporting time frame was >1 month and <1 year compared with ≤1 month or ≥1 year. CONCLUSION: The results of this meta-analysis showed the substantial prevalence of presenteeism in the nursing workforce with variations across different reporting time frames. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The findings can be used to support nurse managers, administrators and policymakers in recognizing the prevalence of presenteeism and developing relevant prevention strategies against presenteeism among global nursing workforce.

Predicting multicultural adolescents' depression in South Korea: Roles of ego-resilience and social support.

PURPOSE: Depressive symptoms among adolescents are a major concern for increased risk of adverse health condition outcomes later in life. Specifically, previous studies have reported that multicultural adolescents experience more depressive symptoms than non-multicultural ones. Using the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, this study examined the relationships between ego-resilience, social support, and depression among multicultural adolescents in South Korea, as well as the moderating effect of social support on the association between ego-resilience and depression. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 1500 multicultural adolescents were included in the analyses, where generalized estimating equation models were employed. RESULTS: Depression scores increased slightly from 2012 to 2015. Higher levels of ego-resilience, family support, and friend support were associated with lower levels of depression, while teacher support was not a significant predictor. The moderating effect of friends and family support on the association between ego-resilience and depression was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce the level of depression among multicultural adolescents, future research should develop interventions that enhance ego-resilience ability, as well as necessary social systems that strengthen family and friend support. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Supportive interventions, such as enhancing ego-resilience to reduce depression should be provided to multicultural adolescents. It is recommended to include family and friends to develop effective intervention programs for multicultural adolescents who are suffering from depression.

Experience of Pediatric Patient Death, Moral Distress, and Turnover Intention among Pediatric Nurses at a Tertiary Hospital in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Pediatric nurses are particularly vulnerable to moral distress and turnover due to frequent experiences with patient death combined with limited pediatric palliative resources and related support. Objective: This study examined pediatric nurses' experiences of pediatric patient death, moral distress, and turnover intention and identified the correlations between them as well as the mediating role of moral distress. Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted an online survey with 161 pediatric nurses working in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. The survey comprised questions to assess nurses' experience of pediatric patient death and turnover intention and a validated instrument to measure their moral distress. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationships between study variables, and structural equation modeling was performed to determine the mediating effect of moral distress. Results: Pediatric nurses (N = 161) reported high levels of moral distress with a mean score of 101.06 (standard deviation = 70.528) on the pediatric version of the Moral Distress Scale. Turnover intention increased 1.01 times for every 1 U increase in moral distress. Moral distress fully mediated the relationship between the experience of pediatric patient death and turnover intention. Conclusion: Pediatric patient death had an indirect effect on turnover intention through moral distress among pediatric nurses. Reducing pediatric nurses' moral distress caused from experiencing patient death may help minimize their turnover intention.

Effect of sleep on alertness at work among fixed night shift nurses: A prospective observational study.

AIMS: To identify patterns of declining alertness at work among fixed night shift nurses using an objective measure and to determine the effect of sleep parameters on the decline in alertness at work. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. METHODS: Data were collected from 65 fixed night shift nurses who provided direct nursing care for patients in Korean hospitals between September 2020 and March 2021. Participants wore an actigraph for 14 days on their non-dominant hand to measure sleep parameters and predict their hourly alertness scores. They completed an online survey to provide their demographic information. Mixed-effect models were employed to determine the association between sleep parameters and the decline in alertness. RESULTS: The alertness scores of fixed night shift nurses constantly dropped every working hour. Scores dropped below 20% after 4 h from the beginning of the shift and below 30% after 6 h. Increased minutes in bed, minutes asleep and sleep efficiency reduced the risk of decreased alertness scores below 70. Increased sleep latency was associated with an increased risk of alertness scores dropping below 70. CONCLUSION: The alertness of fixed night shift nurses drops steeply during regular hours and remains low during overtime. Sleep parameters contribute to the decline in alertness at work among fixed night shift nurses. IMPACT: This study identified patterns of decline in alertness among fixed night shift nurses and the contributing factors for this decline, using an objective measure. The findings have important implications for the development of future interventions to improve the sleep hygiene of fixed night shift nurses to enhance their alertness at work.

Frailty index and gender-specific mortality in Korean adults: Findings from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2006-2018).

AIMS: To examine the predictive ability of the frailty index in estimating gender-specific mortality in a population of Korean adults. DESIGN: A descriptive and prospective longitudinal design. METHODS: Data were used from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging conducted from 2006 through 2018. A total of 10,254 adults aged 45-98 years at baseline were included. A 41-item deficit accumulation frailty index was measured, based on multi-domain assessment such as self-rating of health, physical condition, mental status, cognitive function, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living and chronic conditions. We categorized the frailty index into robust (≤0.10), prefrail (0.10-0.25) and frail (≥0.25). Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis was employed to determine the association between the frailty index and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: A total of 4705 individuals (45.9%) were categorized as robust, 4178 (40.7%) as prefrail and 1371 (13.4%) as frail. The frailty index increased with age, and females were found to have a higher frailty index than males. The survival probabilities were significantly lower in older adults (aged ≥65) compared with adults and significantly lower in males compared with females. Compared with the robust group, the risk of mortality in the prefrail and frail groups was 1.37 and 2.57 times higher, respectively. The association between frailty status and all-cause mortality was similar in adults and older adults, while the hazard ratios were higher in frail group of males than that of females. CONCLUSION: The frailty index had a predictive ability for all-cause mortality with respect to age and sex. IMPACT: Using a frailty index among community-dwelling adults could be beneficial to support healthcare providers in early detection of individuals with frailty and facilitate the development of more effective interventions for reducing mortality.

Factors influencing quality of life among childhood cancer survivors in Korea: A quantile regression approach.

Cancer treatment in childhood may negatively affect survivors' quality of life. In this study, we aimed to determine the contributing factors for health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in survivors of childhood cancer in Korea using quantile regression analysis. This study was a secondary analysis. Data were collected from 130 childhood cancer survivors (CCS) from November 2018 to July 2019. Participants completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II, and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (physical component summary [PCS] and mental component summary [MCS]). Quantile and multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the factors contributing to HRQOL. The quantile and linear regression models revealed different results on the contributing factors to HRQOL in CCS. Mean PCS and MCS scores were 78.55 (SD = 15.08) and 64.02 (SD = 18.00), respectively. Symptoms (e.g., difficulty concentrating, worrying, pain, and lack of energy), physical activity, spiritual growth, interpersonal relationships, stress management, depression, and anxiety were significant influencing factors in some PCS quantiles, while symptoms, spiritual growth, interpersonal relationships, depression, and stress were significant influencing factors in some MCS quantiles. The findings of this study showed specific contributing factors in CCS with different levels of HRQOL. There is a need for targeted interventions related to risk reduction and stratification for CCS with different HRQOL levels. Symptom management strategies, early detection programs for CCS with psychological distress, and clinical and counseling interventions for CCS with poor HRQOL need to be developed.

Effectiveness of serious games in nurse education: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To systematically summarize research employing serious games in nurse education, to examine their effectiveness, to provide recommendations and implementation strategies, and to suggest future directions for the development and application of serious games in nurse education. DESIGN: A systematic review. DATA SOURCES: An online search of the CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases, and a manual search of the reference lists of selected studies or review articles published in English and Korean between 1990 and July 2020. REVIEW METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Articles that employed a serious game approach in nurse education were included. Two authors independently screened and reviewed the articles and assessed the methodological quality using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tools. RESULTS: A total of seven studies met the inclusion criteria: three randomized controlled trials and four quasi-experimental studies. Heterogeneity was found across all studies regarding the application of serious games, platforms, and gamification elements. Most of the studies evaluated the effectiveness of serious games using knowledge tests, while two studies evaluated skills performance. Two randomized controlled trials and two one group before and after studies reported that the use of serious games improved nursing students' and nurses' knowledge and performance. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review does not provide comprehensive insights into the effectiveness of serious games in nurse education. However, based on the evidence reviewed, we provide suggestions for developing and implementing serious games in nurse education to enhance students' knowledge and performance.

Alertness during working hours among eight-hour rotating-shift nurses: An observational study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify the patterns of the decline in the alertness of rotating-shift nurses during working hours across different shift types (day, evening, and night) using an objective measure. DESIGN: An observational study using ReadiBand wrist actigraphs was conducted. METHODS: Data were collected from June 2019 to February 2020. Participants were rotating-shift nurses (N = 82) who provided direct nursing care for patients in acute care hospitals in South Korea. Nurses wore actigraphs continuously for 14 days on their non-dominant hand to identify sleep-wake cycles and predict their alertness scores hourly. All participants completed a sleep diary. FINDINGS: Nurses working during night shifts had lower average alertness scores (mean = 77.12) than nurses working during day (mean = 79.05) and evening (mean = 91.21). Overall, alertness showed a declining trend and the specific patterns of decline differed across shifts. Participants with alertness scores less than 70 or 80 demonstrated a significant decline in alertness across all shifts. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct patterns of decline in alertness per nursing shift were revealed. Each shift feature should be considered when developing interventions to increase nurses' alertness, promote high-quality care provision, and ensure patient safety. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The implementation of interventions to increase alertness among shift nurses is needed at the organizational level, and the cooperation of nursing managers and administrators is required.

Work schedule characteristics and occupational fatigue/recovery among rotating-shift nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To determine the effects of work schedule characteristics on occupational fatigue and recovery among rotating-shift nurses in South Korea. BACKGROUND: Understanding the effects of work schedule characteristics on occupational fatigue is important to prevent adverse nurse outcomes and to ensure patient safety. METHODS: This study used secondary data analysis with a cross-sectional design. Data were collected on 436 rotating-shift nurses in 2018. Nurses' occupational fatigue and recovery were measured using the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion/Recovery Scale. We used quantile regression models. RESULTS: The scores for acute and chronic fatigue and intershift recovery were 70.40, 73.39, and 29.82, respectively. Overtime hours, number of night shifts, number of consecutive days off, and breaks were significant influential factors in some quantiles of acute fatigue, chronic fatigue, and intershift recovery, while total working hours was only associated with chronic fatigue in the 25th quantile. CONCLUSIONS: The quantile and linear regression models revealed different results for work schedule factors that affect occupational fatigue and intershift recovery among rotating-shift nurses. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: These findings have important implications for developing targeted strategies and policies to reduce occupational fatigue and improve intershift recovery for rotating-shift nurses with different levels of occupational fatigue and recovery.

Sleep, fatigue and alertness during working hours among rotating-shift nurses in Korea: An observational study.

AIMS: To determine the effects of sleep parameters and fatigue on the decline in alertness of nurses across shifts. BACKGROUND: Shift work can lead to nurse fatigue owing to insufficient sleep and inadequate recovery time between shifts. Nurse fatigue has adverse effects on alertness and can affect provision of quality care. METHODS: An observational study using wrist actigraphs was conducted from 2019 to 2020. Participants were 82 rotating-shift nurses who provided direct nursing care in acute hospitals in South Korea. They wore actigraphs for 14 days to measure sleep parameters and predict hourly alertness and reported subjective fatigue before and after every shift. RESULTS: Nurses demonstrated shorter sleep hours, lower sleep efficiency and longer sleep latency before night shifts compared with other shifts. Fatigue was the highest before day shifts. Sleep parameters and fatigue significantly affected the steep decline in alertness in participants with alertness scores below 70. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep parameters and fatigue level contributed to the differences in decline in alertness across shifts. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Findings inform nurse managers, administrators to develop interventions to reduce fatigue, improve sleep quantity and quality and increase alertness among rotating-shift nurses. Management, institutional and individual factors should be considered when developing interventions.