Open AccessThe association between rotating shift work and increased occupational stress in nurses
Author(s) -
Lin PeiChen,
Chen ChungHey,
Pan ShungMei,
Chen YaoMei,
Pan ChihHong,
Hung HsinChia,
Wu MingTsang
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of occupational health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 1348-9585
DOI - 10.1539/joh.13-0284-oa
Subject(s) - shift work , overtime , occupational stress , medicine , work stress , work shift , occupational safety and health , workload , work (physics) , psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , management , operations management , mechanical engineering , pathology , political science , law , economics , engineering
The association between rotating shift work and increased occupational stress in nurses: Pei‐Chen L in , et al . Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, TaiwanPurpose The aim of this study was to investigate whether rotating shift work increases occupational stress in nurses. Methods This study measured shift work scheduling and occupational stress by using the Effort‐Reward Imbalance model with self‐reported questionnaires in a sample of 654 female nurses. Results Overcommitment risk was higher in nurses who worked rotating shifts than in those who worked day/non‐night shifts (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.03−4.66). However, an effort/reward imbalance was not directly associated with work schedules (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 0.87−4.35). Among nurses working rotation rotating shifts, those who had 2 days off after their most recent night shifts showed an alleviated risk of overcommitment (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32−0.82), but those who had worked for at least one series of 7 consecutive work days per month had an increased risk of effort/reward imbalance (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.69−4.48). Additionally, those who had little or no participation in planning working hours and shift scheduling and worked overtime at least three times per week during the preceding 2 months tended to have high stress. Conclusions The nurses who worked rotating shifts tended to experience work‐related stress, but their stress levels improved if they had at least 2 days off after their most recent night shift and if they were not scheduled to work 7 consecutive days. These empirical data can be used to optimize work schedules for nurses to alleviate work stress.