Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 60. No. 3., 2021.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2021.60.03.19
The Impact of Shift Work on the Metabolism and Circadian Rhythm in Nurses and Medical Technicians
Ivona Ljevak
; Faculty of Health Studies, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ivan Vasilj
; Faculty of Health Studies, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Josip Lesko
; School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Marijana Neuberg
; North University of Varaždin, Varaždin, Croatia
Olivera Perić
; Faculty of Health Studies, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Marina Ćurlin
; Faculty of Health Studies, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and
Abstract
Providing in-patient nursing care inevitably involves shift work and shift patterns
have been identified as an important factor in determining well-being and satisfaction among nurses.
Shifts of 12 h or longer have become increasingly common for nurses in hospitals in some European
countries. Longer shifts offer a potential to benefit from a compressed working week, with fewer work
days and more days off-work, lower commuting costs, and increased flexibility. Most people find shift
work less desirable compared to standard working hours. A cross-sectional cohort study was conducted
at the Mostar University Hospital in 2019. A total of 157 subjects participated in the study, 22
(14%) of which were male (medical technicians) and 135 (86%) female (nurses). The mean age of
study subjects was 33.3 years (min=20, max=54, SD=8.033). Results of this study suggested that nurses
working irregular rotating shifts, with more family members to look after and more than 18 years
of professional experience were affected by sleep disturbances between shifts. The study showed that
shift work nurses had significantly higher levels of cortisol and prolactin compared with first-shift
nurses/medical technicians. The results of this study are expected to stimulate further studies of sleep
disturbances among shift nurses.
Keywords
Cortisol; Prolactin; Circadian rhythm; Nurses
Hrčak ID:
271668
URI
Publication date:
1.9.2021.
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