Page 174 - Petelin, Ana, Nejc Šarabon, Boštjan Žvanut, eds. 2017. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije ▪︎ Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 174
avje delovno aktivne populacije | health of the working-age population 172 derstood as the work outside the normal daily working hours (Mosendane et
al., 2008). As unusual working hours is considered working extended time un-
til the evening and night hours, which lasts more than 8 hours a day (Merijan-
tia et al., 2008). These atypical working patterns cause disorders of circadian
rhythms (Vimalananda et al., 2015) or disorders in biological rhythm in a peri-
od of 24 hours. Circadian rhythm is one of the internal rhythms caused by ex-
ternal stimuli (e.g. light) and synchronized with the environment. In humans,
the most well-known internal rhythms, are the rhythm of sleeping and wake-
fulness, and body temperature rhythm (Špeninger et al., 2009). Abnormal end-
ings of sleeping and wakefulness phases cause disturbances in hormones se-
cretion (mostly melatonin and cortisol) and increase the risk of cardiovascular
disease (CVD) (Anjum et al., 2015), which are the leading causes of death in in-
dustrialized countries (Yu et al., 2016), and affects more women than men (Al-
lesøe et al., 2010; Gangwisch et al., 2013). In addition to the unbalanced circadi-
an rhythm in nurses several other risk factors for CVD are included. Lifestyle
comes first, including an unhealthy diet, reduced physical activity, excessive
consumption of caffeine and an increased tendency to smoke (Buchvold et al.,
2015; Pryce, 2016). The second group includes endocrine disorders and diseases,
which include obesity, increased blood levels of triglycerides, impaired glucose
tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Consequently, it comes to high blood pres-
sure and diabetes (Wang et al., 2011; Buchvold et al., 2015). The third group in-
cludes stress, which is a high risk factor, because the 24-hour nursing care for
the patient is very stressful for the nurse (Lo et al., 2010; Roskoden et al., 2017).
The combination of all risk factors, in conjunction with long-term shift work in
nurses, increases the chance of myocardial infarction, coronary complications
(Vyas et al., 2012) and stroke (Brown et al., 2009).
Methods
We used a descriptive method. We reviewed Slovenian and English scientific
literature. We used databases CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, Web browser and
Google Scholar and we used the following keywords: nurse, shift work, cir-
cadian rhythm of cardiovascular disease. Also, we used the following limita-
tions: full-text articles from 2007 to 2017. In the article we included a research
conducted in 2004 since its contribution was considered important for our re-
search. The exclusion criteria were articles with inappropriate content (e.g. did
not include women as health care workers and as we said did not include ar-
ticles which were older than 10 years, not full-text articles). The articles ac-
quired have been systematically analysed. A literature review was conducted
from February to May 2017.
Results
Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we obtained 10 journal arti-
cles reporting studies which show tangible evidence of the connection between
shift work and CVD incidence in nurses.
al., 2008). As unusual working hours is considered working extended time un-
til the evening and night hours, which lasts more than 8 hours a day (Merijan-
tia et al., 2008). These atypical working patterns cause disorders of circadian
rhythms (Vimalananda et al., 2015) or disorders in biological rhythm in a peri-
od of 24 hours. Circadian rhythm is one of the internal rhythms caused by ex-
ternal stimuli (e.g. light) and synchronized with the environment. In humans,
the most well-known internal rhythms, are the rhythm of sleeping and wake-
fulness, and body temperature rhythm (Špeninger et al., 2009). Abnormal end-
ings of sleeping and wakefulness phases cause disturbances in hormones se-
cretion (mostly melatonin and cortisol) and increase the risk of cardiovascular
disease (CVD) (Anjum et al., 2015), which are the leading causes of death in in-
dustrialized countries (Yu et al., 2016), and affects more women than men (Al-
lesøe et al., 2010; Gangwisch et al., 2013). In addition to the unbalanced circadi-
an rhythm in nurses several other risk factors for CVD are included. Lifestyle
comes first, including an unhealthy diet, reduced physical activity, excessive
consumption of caffeine and an increased tendency to smoke (Buchvold et al.,
2015; Pryce, 2016). The second group includes endocrine disorders and diseases,
which include obesity, increased blood levels of triglycerides, impaired glucose
tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Consequently, it comes to high blood pres-
sure and diabetes (Wang et al., 2011; Buchvold et al., 2015). The third group in-
cludes stress, which is a high risk factor, because the 24-hour nursing care for
the patient is very stressful for the nurse (Lo et al., 2010; Roskoden et al., 2017).
The combination of all risk factors, in conjunction with long-term shift work in
nurses, increases the chance of myocardial infarction, coronary complications
(Vyas et al., 2012) and stroke (Brown et al., 2009).
Methods
We used a descriptive method. We reviewed Slovenian and English scientific
literature. We used databases CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, Web browser and
Google Scholar and we used the following keywords: nurse, shift work, cir-
cadian rhythm of cardiovascular disease. Also, we used the following limita-
tions: full-text articles from 2007 to 2017. In the article we included a research
conducted in 2004 since its contribution was considered important for our re-
search. The exclusion criteria were articles with inappropriate content (e.g. did
not include women as health care workers and as we said did not include ar-
ticles which were older than 10 years, not full-text articles). The articles ac-
quired have been systematically analysed. A literature review was conducted
from February to May 2017.
Results
Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we obtained 10 journal arti-
cles reporting studies which show tangible evidence of the connection between
shift work and CVD incidence in nurses.
