Relationships between night shift burden and naps during work in nurses engaged in the two-shift systems - Nurses working a 16-hour night shift -

This study investigated fatigue and napping during night shifts in nurses working a 16-hour night shift (day shift: 8:00-16:45, night shift: 16:00-9:00). A questionnaire survey was conducted on 656 female nurses working within the two-shift system in general hospitals. Survey items include fatigue during the night shift, amount of sleep before, during, and after the night shift, quality of sleep, and napping. As a result, more than 80% of nurses felt a work burden during and after the night shift, however, they supported the two-shift systems. As reasons, the two-shift systems can create spare time for nurses and long nap time during the night shifts were suggested. The nap time during the night shifts should be more than 100 minutes, and in order to do so, work content should be improved and optimum sleep environment should be available. Since some nurses cannot sleep well due to tension, shortening the working hours in accordance with nurses' fatigue or sleepiness, and providing enough breaks were considered necessary.