Page 60 - Petelin, Ana. 2020. Ed. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije / Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 60
avje delovno aktivne populacije | health of the working-age population 58 stress level at work, have less time for family, social contacts and physical
activity and are more prone to overweight and development of chronic
diseases. All this is of concern for the general well-being of nurses and
their health. Employers should be able to well organize the shift work,
rest days and the workload of nurses. This would make it easier to
maintain, promote the good psychophysical status of nurses and increase
healthy lifestyles and health levels of employed nurses through patient-
centered examples.
Keywords: nurse, shift work, night shift, health
Introduction
Work is important for the survival and personal achievement of individual
people, and at the same time work affects the lifestyle of people who are in the
work process and leads to various health problems. (Ferriera dos Santos et al.,
2018). The work of nurses takes place in shifts and cycles, it also includes a night
shift, which usually means 12 hours, from evening to early morning. Sched-
ules are poorly defined, include compulsory work, voluntary, forced, extended
work and on-call time, and payments are poorly defined. During this time, the
nurses have to work to combat their natural instincts, disrupting their natural
circadian rhythm, which is regulated by natural light and darkness, resulting
in lack of sleep and fatigue. Many nurses report exhaustion, extreme drowsi-
ness during the workday, decreased attention, lack of sleep or long-term insom-
nia, as well as falling asleep during work. (Douglas, 2014, Antill, 2016, Wheat-
ley, 2017). The so - called long working days, 12 - hour working days, bring less
costs for the employer. Continuity of care increases, resulting in more injuries
at work, reduced patient safety. Shift work and night work with overcrowding,
lack of staff, lack of control, are associated with burnout and personality ex-
haustion. Some countries have already successfully regulated the work of nurs-
es and the overtime they perform, and this is the right path to the well-being of
nurses and their impact on their health. (Dall’ora et al., 2020a, Dall’ora et al.,
2020b, Young, et al., 2018, Wheatley, 2017).
Hospitals are one of the most stressful environments where nurses are
under the greatest impact. Either due to physical discomfort, psychological
pressures, dysfunctional support of the work environment and negative social
support of the work environment. The quality of life, fatigue, morbidity, effec-
tiveness, and overall satisfaction with the work of nurses reflects the employer’s
attitude (Shamloo, Moradi, Hosseini, 2020). Nurses are the first line of health
care that cares for the nation (Williams, 2017). They represent public health,
and influence the patients and their families by example, indicating healthy
lifestyle, eating habits and risk management. Excess body weight and obesi-
ty is markedly higher among nurses as the work environment for nurses is not
conducive. The knowledge nurses have about a healthy lifestyle does not match
their lifestyle. The health and satisfaction of employed nurses affects the work
activity and are more prone to overweight and development of chronic
diseases. All this is of concern for the general well-being of nurses and
their health. Employers should be able to well organize the shift work,
rest days and the workload of nurses. This would make it easier to
maintain, promote the good psychophysical status of nurses and increase
healthy lifestyles and health levels of employed nurses through patient-
centered examples.
Keywords: nurse, shift work, night shift, health
Introduction
Work is important for the survival and personal achievement of individual
people, and at the same time work affects the lifestyle of people who are in the
work process and leads to various health problems. (Ferriera dos Santos et al.,
2018). The work of nurses takes place in shifts and cycles, it also includes a night
shift, which usually means 12 hours, from evening to early morning. Sched-
ules are poorly defined, include compulsory work, voluntary, forced, extended
work and on-call time, and payments are poorly defined. During this time, the
nurses have to work to combat their natural instincts, disrupting their natural
circadian rhythm, which is regulated by natural light and darkness, resulting
in lack of sleep and fatigue. Many nurses report exhaustion, extreme drowsi-
ness during the workday, decreased attention, lack of sleep or long-term insom-
nia, as well as falling asleep during work. (Douglas, 2014, Antill, 2016, Wheat-
ley, 2017). The so - called long working days, 12 - hour working days, bring less
costs for the employer. Continuity of care increases, resulting in more injuries
at work, reduced patient safety. Shift work and night work with overcrowding,
lack of staff, lack of control, are associated with burnout and personality ex-
haustion. Some countries have already successfully regulated the work of nurs-
es and the overtime they perform, and this is the right path to the well-being of
nurses and their impact on their health. (Dall’ora et al., 2020a, Dall’ora et al.,
2020b, Young, et al., 2018, Wheatley, 2017).
Hospitals are one of the most stressful environments where nurses are
under the greatest impact. Either due to physical discomfort, psychological
pressures, dysfunctional support of the work environment and negative social
support of the work environment. The quality of life, fatigue, morbidity, effec-
tiveness, and overall satisfaction with the work of nurses reflects the employer’s
attitude (Shamloo, Moradi, Hosseini, 2020). Nurses are the first line of health
care that cares for the nation (Williams, 2017). They represent public health,
and influence the patients and their families by example, indicating healthy
lifestyle, eating habits and risk management. Excess body weight and obesi-
ty is markedly higher among nurses as the work environment for nurses is not
conducive. The knowledge nurses have about a healthy lifestyle does not match
their lifestyle. The health and satisfaction of employed nurses affects the work
