Perceived effects of rotating shift work on nurses\' sleep quality and duration

The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess the effect of rotating shift work on perceived sleep quality and sleep duration of nurses at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi. Twenty four female nurses were recruited at random from among personnel engaged in rotating shift work. The nurses worked a three-phase schedule: five day shifts (7.00 – 17.00) followed by three night shifts (17.00 – 7.00) and five days off. Controls were 22 female nurses who did not perform night duties. Sleep quality and duration was assessed using standardized and validated questionnaires on sleep duration and subjective sleep quality (SSQ). One-way analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of shift phase on total sleep duration (F = 36.8, d.f. = 8, P < 0.000) and perceived sleep quality (F = 8.81, d.f. = 3, P < 0.000). Night shift work was associated with reduction of sleep quality and duration. The after effects of night shifts persisted during days of the recovery period indicating accumulation of fatigue. Malawi Medical Journal Vol. 21 (1) 2009: pp. 19-2

Investigación de lateralidad en recién nacidos prematuros

O estudo objetivou investigar a existência de coordenação mão-boca e preferência manual em recém-nascidos (RNs) prematuros a partir da estimulação gustativa, comparando a lateralidade dos bebês e seus genitores. Trata-se de estudo experimental e analítico, com procedimento duplo-cego. Participaram 90 RNs prematuros de uma maternidade pública de Sergipe. O teste durou 15 minutos, dividido em 3 períodos de 5 minutos. Nos primeiros 5 minutos, linha de base inicial - LB1, nenhum estímulo foi aplicado. No segundo momento, houve estimulação gustativa com sacarose para análise (PA) a 12% ou água, em 5 doses de 0,2 mL a cada minuto; e no último período, linha de base final - LB2, houve observação do recém-nascido sem aplicação de estímulo, durante 5 minutos. Foi realizado registro da frequência e duração dos comportamentos das mãos direita (MBD) e/ou esquerda (MBE) na região oral e sucção das mãos direita (SMD) e/ou esquerda (SME) dos RNs durante os estados comportamentais (sono profundo, sono leve, sonolento, alerta, agitado/irritado e choro) apresentados por estes. Os dados foram executados no software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Como resultado encontrou-se correlação forte de MBD e SMD na LB2, independente do estímulo recebido, evidenciando que a estimulação aumentou a correlação dos comportamentos do lado direito do corpo. Sugere-se realização de novas pesquisas sobre lateralidade, contemplando maior número de pais sinistros na amostra. _________________________________________________________________________________________ RESUMEN: El objetivo del estudio fue investigar la existencia de coordinación mano-boca y la preferencia manual en recién nacidos prematuros a partir de la estimulación gustativa, comparando la lateralidad de los bebes y sus progenitores. Se trata de un estudio experimental y analítico, con procedimiento doble ciego. Participaron 90 recién nacidos prematuros de una maternidad pública de Sergipe. El test duró 15 minutos, dividido en tres períodos de cinco minutos. En los primeros cinco minutos, línea de base inicial - LB1, ningún estímulo fue aplicado. En un segundo momento, existió estimulación gustativa con sacarosa PA a 12% o agua, en cinco dosis de 0,2 mL a cada minuto, y en el último período, línea de base final - LB2, existió observación del recién nacido sin aplicación de estímulo, durante cinco minutos. Fue realizado registro de la frecuencia y duración de los comportamientos en la mano derecha (MBD) y/o mano izquierda (MBI) en la región oral y succión de la mano derecha (SMD) y/o izquierda (SMI) de los recién nacidos durante los estados comportamentales (sueño profundo, sueño leve, somnoliento, alerta, agitado/irritado y llanto) presentados por estos. Los datos fueron analizados en el software Stastistical Package for the Social Sciences. Como resultado se encontró correlación fuerte de MBD y SMD en la LB2, independiente del estímulo recibido, evidenciando que la estimulación aumentó la correlación de los comportamientos del lado derecho del cuerpo. Se sugiere realización de nuevas investigaciones sobre lateralidad, contemplando mayor número de padres zurdos en la muestra

The impact of rotating shift work on eating patterns and self-reported health of nurses in Malawi

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of rotating shift work on eating patterns and self-reported health of nurses. Twenty-four female nurses on irregular rotating shift work were randomly selected from among medical personnel at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), Blantyre, Malawi. Controls were 22 nurses who did not perform night duties. Appetite, eating pattern satisfaction, regularity of meals, health perception; number of full meals and snacks were assessed using standardized and locally validated questionnaire. It was found that rotating shift work had significant effect on the amount of full meals (d.f. = 2, F = 24.3. P = 0.000), appetite (d.f. = 2, F = 15.2, P = 0.000) and eating pattern satisfaction (d.f. = 2, F = 22.5, P = 0.000). Comparison of the two groups of nurses indicated that volunteers in the study group had lower number of reported full meals per day (t = 6,37, P < 0.001), lower self-assessed appetite (t=3.22, P < 0.01) and eating pattern satisfaction (t = 6.52, P < 0.01) during the night-shift phase of the rotating shift cycle than nurses on the day- shift schedule. All responders in the study group and 40.9% of nurses in the control group reported irregular eating pattern. Significant association was found between the self-reported health scores and appetite (d.f, = J, F = 8.89, P = 0.000), amount of full meals (d.f. = 3, F = 11.77, P = 0.000) and eating habit satisfaction (d.f = 3, F = 18.J. P = 0.000) in both groups of nurses. Nurses who reported irregular eating pattern had significantly lower subjective health score (t = 3.33, P < 0.01) than nurses who consumed food regularly (2.9:1:1.2 and 1.8:1:0.9, respectively). Malawi Medical Journal Vol.16(2) 2005: 37-3

Fatigue in intensive care nurses and related factors

Background: Fatigue negatively affects the performance of intensive care nurses. Factors contributing to the fatigue experienced by nurses include lifestyle, psychological status, work organization and sleep problems. Objective: To determine the level of fatigue among nurses working in intensive care units and the related factors. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 102 nurses working in intensive care units in the West Black Sea Region of Turkey. Data were collected between February and May 2014 using a personal information form, the Visual Analogue Scale for Fatigue (VAS-F), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. Results: The intensive care nurses in the study were found to be experiencing fatigue. Significant correlations were observed between scores on the VAS-F Fatigue and anxiety (p=0.01), depression (p=0.002), and sleep quality (p<0.001). Conclusion: Anxiety, depression and quality of sleep were significantly affected by the intensive care nurses' levels of fatigue. These results can be of benefit in taking measures which may be used to reduce fatigue in nurses, especially the fatigue related to work organization and social life