Biological and practical considerations regarding circadian rhythm and mental health relationships among nurses working night shifts: a narrative review and recommendations

Background: Sleep is a vital physiological process regulated by the circadian clock and homeostatic mechanisms. Shift work is necessary to ensure continuity of healthcare provision. Worldwide, nurses work night shifts on a rotational or permanent basis. Objective: To analyse the impact of circadian rhythm disruption due to night shift work on the mental wellbeing of nurses. Methods: The literature search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus electronic databases. Selection criteria include studies published in English between 1997 and 2021 that examined the impact of night-shift work on the mental health of nurses. Results: The searches generated a total of 22 records on the PubMed database, and 9 records on the Scopus database, and a total of 31 studies. 29 papers were identified after removal of duplicates. However, 29 articles were screened based on the review of titles and abstracts. 19 articles were identified for full-test review. Seven papers were included in this review. Conclusions: Disrupted circadian rhythms and poor sleep quality and quantity have been identified as two of the most significant elements in the long-term effects of night-shift work on nurses' mental health. Strategies and policies to promote workplace health may reduce the occurrence of mental health disorders among night-shift nurses, whether the shifts are rotational or permanent. Nursing supervisors and hospital administrators should consider developing new guidelines to minimize the negative impact of night shift rotations on mental health and the quality of life among nurses

Lifestyle behaviors among Canadian nurses working night shifts in the COVID-19 era. A pilot study

Working night shifts has been associated with negative mental health consequences such as depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. The objectives of this study were to determine the lifestyle behaviors (prevalence of nicotine, caffeine, cannabis, sleep-promoting medication, and alcohol use) and the association between job stress, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression among registered nurses working night shifts in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in the COVID-19 era. Twenty-two registered nurses ranging from ages 25-65 that work permanent or rotating night shifts participated in an online survey from April 11th to July 15th, 2022. The results showed a strong positive association between sleep disturbance, and depression r (19) = 0.50, [p = 0.029, 95% CI, 0.06, 0.78]. A positive correlation was found between higher levels of reported anxiety and sleep disturbance r (19) = 0.69, [p = 0.001, 95% CI, 0.34, 0.87]. There was a positive correlation between depression and occupational exhaustion r (17) = 0.56, [p = 0.021, 95% CI, 0.10, 0.82]. Anxiety was significantly related to occupational exhaustion r (17) = 0.65, [p = 0.005, 95% CI, 0.24, 0.86] and depersonalization r (17) = 0.52, [p = 0.005, 95% CI, 0.06, 0.80], but not significantly related to personal accomplishment r (17) = -0.34, [p = 0.185, 95% CI, -0.70, 0.17]. In conclusion, a sample of Canadian nurses working night shifts in the province of Saskatchewan during the COVID-19 pandemic showed a significant positive relationship among sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, most nurses reported using at least one or more of the following substances: sleep-promoting medication, nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis

FREQUENCY OF NUCLEAR ABNORMALITIES IN BUCCAL CELLS OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA: NUCLEAR ABNORMALITIES IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the frequency of nuclear damage in the buccal cells of road construction workers in Anambra state, Nigeria. Methods: In this study, the frequency of nuclear abnormalities – cells with micronuclei (CMN), total MN (TMN), binucleate (BN) cells, cells with nuclear bud, and karyorrhectic cells, in exfoliated buccal cells of 33 road construction workers and 33 control subjects consisting of healthy persons was evaluated. Demographic data and exposure characteristics of the participants were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Buccal smears were obtained from both cheeks for each participant. The smears were stained using papanicolaou staining technique. At least 1000 cells in each smear were assessed and scored. The frequency of nuclear abnormalities in both road construction workers and control subjects was then compared. Results: The results obtained show a significant increase in the frequency of CMN (p=0.005), TMN (p=0.008), and BN (p=0.006) in buccal cells of road construction workers compared with control subjects. Factors such as age, years in occupation, and work days per week, use of protective materials, on-going medication, smoking habit, and alcohol consumption did not significantly affect the frequency of nuclear abnormalities among the road construction workers. Conclusion: Road construction workers may be exposed to substances capable of inducing nuclear damage in buccal cells