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. 2013 Apr-Jun;28(2):122-9.
doi: 10.1097/NCQ.0b013e3182725f09.

Hospital staff nurses' shift length associated with safety and quality of care

Amy Witkoski Stimpfel  1 , Linda H Aiken
Affiliations

Hospital staff nurses' shift length associated with safety and quality of care

Amy Witkoski Stimpfel et al. J Nurs Care Qual. 2013 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze hospital staff nurses' shift length, scheduling characteristics, and nurse reported safety and quality. A secondary analysis of a large nurse survey linked with hospital administrative data was conducted. More than 22 000 registered nurses' reports of shift length and scheduling characteristics were examined. Extended shift lengths were associated with higher odds of reporting poor quality and safety. Policies aimed at reducing the use of extended shifts may be advisable.

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