title: Work-related self-assessed fatigue and recovery among nurses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adequate recovery opportunities are crucial for preventing long-term health effects of acute load reactions in response to stressful work. However, little is known about the time course of recovery from work during non-working days. Thus, the present study assessed recovery from two consecutive 12-hours day shifts during a period of three rest days among nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 48 nurses (89.6% females) working in three public Austrian nursing homes completed 5-day self-reporting diaries prior to a work phase consisting of two consecutive 12-hours day shifts followed by three consecutive rest days. Therefore, morning and evening fatigue, distress, vigor and sleep were self-assessed by standardized questionnaires. We analyzed the data using multivariate analysis of variance for repeated measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study participants experienced worse well-being and a greater decline in well-being on working days compared to rest days. Well-being increased from rest day 1 to rest day 2 in fatigue, vigor and distress. Rest day 2 to rest day 3 showed a further improvement in fatigue and vigor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding the concepts of allostatic load, need for recovery and fatigue is essential to develop personalized working schedules. The results suggest that at least three rest days are necessary for full recovery after two consecutive 12-hours day shifts. Thus, adequate time for recovery enables nurses to maintain caring attitudes with patients, thus contributing to patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blasche
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria.|Stockerau Regional Hospital, Landstraße 18, 2000, Stockerau, Austria.
authors.forename: Verena-Maria
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Bauböck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria. daniela.haluza@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5619-2863
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haluza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Allostatic load; Caregivers; Nursing homes; Recovery from work; Resource depletion; Work-related fatigue