The Practice of Sleep, Fatigue and Physical Activity Intensity of 16-hour Shift Nurses during Pregnancy

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze sleep, fatigue, and physical activity intensity in 16-hour shift nurses during pregnancy using subjective and objective indicators, and to clarify the actual situation. The subjects of this study were 11 pregnant 16-hour shift nurses working in hospitals with 160 beds or more. We investigated the actual conditions of fatigue, sleep, and physical activity intensity during day shift, night shift, and holiday work using questionnaires, physical activity meters, and wearable heart rate monitors. As a result, the average age of the subjects was 29.5 years and the average length of service was 7.2 years. There were 8 prenatal and 3 multiparous women, and they were not depressed because the EPDS averaged 4.7 points. Their sleep quality scores averaged 6.9 points for PSQI-J. Shift-working nurses during pregnancy increased fatigue before and after day shift and before and after night shift, but recovered by sleeping at night. They also spent their holidays at low physical activity intensity without feeling tired. They had an hour and a half nap during the night shift, but it became clear that they were more sympathetic and stressed than when they slept after the day shift. In addition, the sleep quality of 16-hour shift nurses during pregnancy tended to be worse than that of non-pregnant female nurses.