Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016;54(2):157-62.
doi: 10.2486/indhealth.2015-0002. Epub 2015 Nov 3.

Job demands and resting and napping opportunities for nurses during night shifts: impact on sleepiness and self-evaluated quality of healthcare

Béatrice Barthe  1 , Ghislaine Tirilly, Catherine Gentil, Cathy Toupin
Affiliations

Job demands and resting and napping opportunities for nurses during night shifts: impact on sleepiness and self-evaluated quality of healthcare

Béatrice Barthe et al. Ind Health. 2016.

Abstract

The aim of this field study is to describe night shift resting and napping strategies and to examine their beneficial effects on sleepiness and quality of work. The study was carried out with 16 nurses working in an intensive care unit. Data collected during 20 night shifts were related to job demands (systematic observations), to the duration and timing of rests and naps taken by nurses (systematic observations, sleep diaries), to sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), and to quality of work scores (visual analog scale). The results showed that the number of rests and naps depended on the job demands. Resting and napping lowered the levels of sleepiness at the end of the shift. There was no direct relationship between sleepiness and the quality of work score. Discussions about the choice of indicators for the quality of work are necessary. Suggestions for implementing regulations for prescribed napping during night shifts are presented.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Percentage of no rests, rests, and naps, by job demands (calm or hectic night) (overall test p=0.001).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Bonnefond A, Muzet A, Winter-Dill AS, Bailloeuil C, Bitouze F, Bonneau A. (2001) Innovative working schedule: introducing one short nap during the night shift. Ergonomics 44, 937–45. - PubMed
    1. Takahashi M, Fukuda H, Miki K, Haratani T, Kurabayashi L, Hisanaga N, Arito H, Takahashi H, Egoshi M, Sakurai M. (1999) Shift work-related problems in 16-h night shift nurses (2): Effects on subjective symptoms, physical activity, heart rate, and sleep. Ind Health 37, 228–36. - PubMed
    1. Signal TL, Gander PH, Anderson H, Brash S. (2009) Scheduled napping as a countermeasure to sleepiness in air traffic controllers. J Sleep Res 18, 11–9. - PubMed
    1. Smith-Coggins R, Howard SK, Mac DT, Wang C, Kwan S, Rosekind MR, Sowb Y, Balise R, Levis J, Gaba DM. (2006) Improving alertness and performance in emergency department physicians and nurses: the use of planned naps. Ann Emerg Med 48, 596–604, 604.e1–3. - PubMed
    1. Ruggiero JS, Redeker NS. (2014) Effects of napping on sleepiness and sleep-related performance deficits in night-shift workers: a systematic review. Biol Res Nurs 16, 134–42. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types