2014 Volume 51 Issue 1 Pages 21-31
A self-administered questionnaire survey of rest before, during and after night shifts, break times, and the advantaged and disadvantages of night shifts was conducted of 12-hour night shift workers (n=140) and 16-hour night shift workers(n=681) working in general hospitals adopting a two-shift system, to clarify the state of rest and breaks in the nurses on night shifts, factors supporting the working system, and ways of resting for recovery from fatigue. Twelve-hour nightshift workers took naps at a higher frequency and had longer nap times before night shifts than 16-hour nightshift workers, while 16-hour night shift workers reported longer sleep times during the nights before their night shifts and took naps at a higher frequency and had longer sleep times during and after the night shifts. More than 90% of nurses in both groups supported the current two-shift work system rather than the three-shift work system comprising 8-hour night shifts. The following five factors appeared to be involved in the subjects supporting 16-hour night shifts:low age, no experience of three-shift work, long nap times before night shifts, long break times during night shifts, and nap times available during night shifts. Furthermore, the results of the survey suggested that 16-hour night shift workers need a break time of 2.33 hours or more to take a nap during work.
