title: Rethinking shiftwork: mid-life nurses making it work!
abstract: Many current analyses of shiftwork neglect nurses' own voices when describing the dis/advantages of a shiftworking lifestyle. This paper reports the findings of a critical re-analysis of two studies conducted with female mid-life Australian nurses to explore the contention that the 'problem-centred' focus of current shiftwork research does not effectively address the 'real' issue for mid-life nurses, that is, how to develop and maintain shiftwork tolerance. Participants used shiftwork to: (i) manage, navigate and negotiate various aspects of their nursing work and the workplace itself; (ii) facilitate more manageable work/life negotiations; and (iii) self-identify opportunities to engage in their own self-care (body work and mind work). The findings thus went beyond simply exposing what nursing bodies do in time and space by bringing to the fore discussions of 'time-body' relationships, the embodiment of time and nurses re/configuration of that time demonstrating that the frequently unacknowledged positive aspects of shiftwork, when centred in discussions, give voice to other ways to think about shiftwork and a shiftworking lifestyle. Thus, our contention is that the 'problem-centred' focus of current shiftwork debates does little to address the 'real' issue for shiftworking mid-life female nurses - the development and maintenance of shiftwork tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Sydney Nursing School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. sandra.west@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mapedzahama
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahern
authors.forename: Trudy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rudge
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009729:Nursing; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology