Rotating shift work, sleep, and accidents related to sleepiness in hospital nurses.
A hospital-based survey on shift work, sleep, and accidents was carried out among 635 Massachusetts nurses. In comparison to nurses who worked only day/evening shifts, rotators had more sleep/wake cycle disruption and nodded off more at work. Rotators had twice the odds of nodding off while driving to or from work and twice the odds of a reported accident or error related to sleepiness. Application of circadian principles to the design of hospital work schedules may result in improved health and safety for nurses and patients.
Gold
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DR
Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
Rogacz
S
S
Bock
N
N
Tosteson
T D
TD
Baum
T M
TM
Speizer
F E
FE
Czeisler
C A
CA
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015982:Bias; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009551:Night Care; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D000078329:Workforce