Critical care nurses--perceptions of 12-h shifts.
BACKGROUND
Twelve-hour shifts have been illustrated in the literature as being a highly contentious shift pattern. However, it has also been highlighted that there is a distinct paucity of literature solely related to such a shift pattern in critical care areas, where there is high activity and a requirement for multiple and highly significant decision-making situations. It was therefore identified that such an area deserved further exploration.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to elicit critical care nurses' perceptions of working 12-h shifts.


METHODS
Fifty-four nurses from three critical care areas within a large local NHS teaching hospital currently working 12-h shifts completed a self-administered questionnaire on their perceptions of 12-h shifts. Following on, a focus group interview was conducted to complement this questionnaire in an attempt to further explore these perceptions.


RESULTS
From the results of the questionnaire, patient care, job satisfaction, off duty and family life achieved the most positive responses, whereas communication, fatigue and education achieved the most negative. The focus group explored these issues with added comments on work-shy staff, suggestions on shift patterns, breaks and staffing levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Twelve-hour shifts in critical care areas are suitable shift patterns for nurses, patients and management, provided that they are fundamentally well-managed.
McGettrick
Kathryn Sarah
KS
General ITU, Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK. katiemcgettrick@hotmail.com
O'Neill
M Anna
MA
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009013:Morale; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D000078329:Workforce