Job satisfaction, perceived effort and heart rate in light industrial work

Maximal tachycardia and high cardiac strain during night shifts of emergency physicians

PURPOSE

To compare tachycardia and cardiac strain between 24-hour shifts (24hS) and 14-hour night shifts (14hS) in emergency physicians (EPs), and to investigate key factors influencing tachycardia and cardiac strain.

METHODS

We monitored heart rate (HR) with Holter-ECG in a shift-randomized trial comparing a 24hS, a 14hS, and a control day, within a potential for 19 EPs. We also measured 24-h HR the third day (D3) after both shifts. We measured perceived stress by visual analog scale and the number of life-and-death emergencies.

RESULTS

The 17 EPs completing the whole protocol reached maximal HR (180.9 ± 6.9 bpm) during both shifts. Minutes of tachycardia >100 bpm were higher in 24hS (208.3 ± 63.8) than in any other days (14hS: 142.3 ± 36.9; D3/14hS: 64.8 ± 31.4; D3/24hS: 57.6 ± 19.1; control day: 39.2 ± 11.6 min, p < .05). Shifts induced a cardiac strain twice higher than in days not involving patients contact. Each life-and-death emergency enhanced 26 min of tachycardia ≥100 bpm (p < .001), 7 min ≥ 110 bpm (p < .001), 2 min ≥ 120 bpm (p < .001) and 19 min of cardiac strain ≥30% (p = .014). Stress was associated with greater duration of tachycardia ≥100, 110 and 120 bpm, and of cardiac strain ≥30% (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated several incidences of maximal HR during shifts combined with a high cardiac strain. Duration of tachycardia were the highest in 24hS and lasted several hours. Such values are comparable to those of workers exposed to high physical demanding tasks or heat. Therefore, we suggest that EPs limit their exposure to 24hS. We, furthermore, demonstrated benefits of HR monitoring for identifying stressful events. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01874704.

The impacts of positive psychological states on physical health: a review and theoretical framework

While much research has focused on the impacts of negative psychological states, such as stress, on physical health, relatively little research has examined the effects of positive psychological states. We suggest this imbalance is attributable to inadequate theoretical and methodological development regarding the impacts of positive psychological states on health. This paper presents a framework by which positive psychological states may influence physical health. Following this, we review evidence pertaining to this framework. We conclude by discussing methodological issues associated with this relatively new area of inquiry.

Effect of job satisfaction on stress, performance and health in self-paced repetitive work

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of job satisfaction on stress, performance and health in self-paced repetitive work. There were two groups of subjects. One group consisted of 41 subjects with a high score on job satisfaction and the second group consisted of an equal number of subjects with a low score on job satisfaction. The mean age and experience of high and low satisfied groups are respectively 34.63 and 13.60 and 34.14 and 15.51 years. The educational qualifications of all the workers were below primary level. The results of the study indicate that the low satisfied workers experience more stress and describe their job more unfavourably than the highly satisfied workers. It is also observed that the high satisfied workers are better performers and possess good health (fewer health complaints and good mental health) than that the dissatisfied workers. The findings of the study suggest that the quality of working life may be improved by increasing the job satisfaction of the workers.