The impact of shift work on eating patterns and self-care strategies utilised by experienced and inexperienced nurses

How Do Nurses Cope with Shift Work? A Qualitative Analysis of Open-Ended Responses from a Survey of Nurses

Nurses are frequently required to engage in shift work given the 24/7 nature of modern healthcare provision. Despite the health and wellbeing costs associated with shift work, little is known about the types of coping strategies employed by nurses. It may be important for nurses to adopt strategies to cope with shift work in order to prevent burnout, maintain wellbeing, and ensure high quality care to patients. This paper explores common strategies employed by nurses to cope with shift work. A workforce survey was completed by 449 shift working nurses that were recruited from a major metropolitan health service in Melbourne, Australia. Responses to open-ended questions about coping strategies were analysed using the framework approach to thematic analysis. Four interconnected main themes emerged from the data: (i) health practices, (ii) social and leisure, (iii) cognitive coping strategies, and (iv) work-related coping strategies. Although a range of coping strategies were identified, sleep difficulties often hindered the effective use of coping strategies, potentially exacerbating poor health outcomes. Findings suggest that in addition to improving nurses' abilities to employ effective coping strategies on an individual level, workplaces also play an important role in facilitating nurses' wellbeing.

Emotional Effects of the Duration, Efficiency, and Subjective Quality of Sleep in Healthcare Personnel

Considering that both sleep quality and duration are linked to psychological variables, this study analyzed the relationships between sleep components and emotional intelligence and the effects that sleep duration has on stress management and mood in a sample of nurses. The sample was made up of 1073 professionals. Data were collected by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Senior Citizens. The results showed that the components of sleep quality were negatively related to stress management and mood. Furthermore, nurses who had short sleep patterns also had low moods and high stress levels. This study emphasizes the importance of subjective sleep quality as a necessary resource for professionals to manage stressful situations and mood and improve their relations with their patients and with each other.

The factors influencing the eating behaviour of shiftworkers: what, when, where and why

Shiftwork leads to altered eating patterns, with workers often eating foods at all times across the 24 h period. Strategies to reduce the burden of shiftwork on the workers should be prioritised and altering these eating patterns is an important area for change. This narrative review examines the current evidence on the individual and environmental factors influencing the eating behaviours of shiftworkers. A systematic search was conducted and yielded 62 articles. These were split into four themes that influence eating patterns; When shiftworkers eat, What type of foods shiftworkers eat, Where the food is sourced from, and Why shiftworkers choose to eat on shift. Irregular working hours was the biggest influence on when workers ate on shift, shift-type was the biggest influence on what workers ate, the majority of food was sourced from canteens and cafeterias, and socialising with colleagues was the biggest reason why workers chose to eat. While more research is needed to explore multiple industries and shift-types, and to investigate the ideal size, type and timing of food on shift, this review has highlighted that future research into shiftworker eating needs to adopt an integrative approach and consider the different individual and social contexts that influence eating patterns.

23rd International Symposium on Shiftwork and Working Time: Towards a Global Consensus

The Working Time Society (WTS), and the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) Scientific Committee on Shiftwork and Working Time, are twin organisations focused on conducting research, and informing practice, regarding the impact of work hours in general, and shiftwork in particular, on the efficiency, productivity, safety, well-being, health, and biological rhythms, of employees. Every 2-3 years since 1969, the WTS and ICOH have conducted a series of international symposia in Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America. The purpose of these symposia is to provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge, and the discussion of contested issues, with researchers, employee representatives, regulators, and employers. The most recent symposium in this series - the 23rd International Symposium on Shiftwork and Working Time, entitled "Toward a Global Consensus" - was held on 19-23 June 2017, at Yulara, Australia, near Uluru. Since 2004, Chronobiology International has released a special issue after each symposium, and that tradition continues with a special issue that includes 17 contributions based on a selection of the 128 papers that were presented at the most recent symposium. Here, we provide an overview of the papers that comprise the special issue, and we briefly comment on the implications of the findings for shiftworkers and their employers.