Relationship between sleep quality and blood pressure level in nurses performing shift work

Objective:The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of sleep in nurses performing shift work in therapeutic and surgical depar tments and to establish possible relationships between level of blood pressure(BP)and quality of sleep.Methods:A total of 20 nurses of the therapeutic depar tments and 20 nurses of the surgical depar tments were enrolled in the study.Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI).BP was measured according to the standard protocol using the Korotkoff method;a sphygmomanometer was used for this twice with an interval of 2 min between 10:00 a.m.and 10:30 a.m.The average value for the 2 indicators was calculated.The diagnosis of essential ar terial hyper tension(AH)was established according to the recommendations of the European Association of Cardiology and the European Association of Hypertension(2018).Results:The overall assessment of the sleep quality of the nurses involved in shift work indicates poor sleep quality;this was true in respondents of both the surgical and therapeutic profiles.However,it was observed that the quality of sleep was significantly lower in nurses of the therapeutic departments.Moreover,poor sleep quality was associated with AH,which was diagnosed in 65%of the nurses of the therapeutic departments and 45%of the nurses of the surgical departments,that is,in almost all of the subjects.Herewith,in the nurses of the therapeutic departments,the level of systolic BP exceeded that of the nurses of the surgical departments.Conclusions:Poor sleep quality is a significant risk factor for AH development and is relevant to nurses performing shift work.Additional clinical studies should be conducted to better understand the mechanisms underlying such adverse cardiometabolic outcomes associated with sleep disorders in the health-sector shift workers.

Research on the Ideological and Political Work of Nursing Students in the New Era under the Strategy of Healthy China

Nursing students have uniqueness within the general university student population as they are among the primary practitioners of the “Healthy China Strategy 2030” and guardians of people’s health. Innovating and strengthening ideological and political education for nursing students, enhancing their skills in serving the people, is a significant political task for medical universities. Against the backdrop of the “Healthy China Strategy,” how to effectively improve nursing students’ professional competencies, integrate life education, medical humanities education, and general ideological and political education, and utilize life education to construct a more suitable ideological and political education system for nursing students, in order to better establish correct worldviews, values, and professional outlooks, are urgent practical issues that need to be addressed in ideological and political education in medical universities. This article takes life education as an entry point and focuses on integrating it with the internalization and unification of ideological and political education courses, aiming to explore the possibilities and new pathways for integrating life education into the ideological and political education of nursing students in the new era.

A Study on the Work Process-Based Practical Training Model for Basic Nursing Skills in Vocational Colleges

Objective:To explore and analyze the work process-based practical training teaching model for basic nursing skills in vocational colleges and its implementation effects.Methods:A total of 82 nursing students from our school were selected for the study,which was conducted from April 2023 to April 2024.Using a random number table method,the students were divided into an observation group and a control group,each with 41 students.The control group received conventional practical training teaching,while the observation group followed the work process-based practical training model for basic nursing skills.The assessment scores and teaching satisfaction of the two groups were compared.Results:The comparison of assessment scores showed that the observation group performed significantly better than the control group(P<0.05).The comparison of teaching satisfaction also indicated that the observation group had significantly higher satisfaction than the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The work process-based practical training teaching model for basic nursing skills in vocational colleges can improve students’assessment scores and enhance teaching satisfaction,demonstrating its value for wider application.

The Effect of Stress, Fatigue, and Sleep Quality on Shift-Work Nurses in Japan

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between stress, fatigue and sleep quality among shift work nurses in Japan. Design: A descriptive correlation design using self-administered surveys. Methods: Questionnaires on stress, fatigue and sleep quality (the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index;PSQI-J) among shift work nurses were distributed to 653 nurses in Japan from January 2015 to February 2015. Results: Participants who reported higher levels of fatigue reported higher levels of stress (r = 0.774, p = 0.000), lower levels of sleep satisfaction (r = −0.411, p = 0.000) and overall lower levels of health (r = −0.323, p = 0.000).PSQI scores were also significantly correlated with reported levels of stress (r = 0.294, p = 0.000), fatigue (r = 0.291, p = 0.000) and levels of health (r = −0.370, p = 0.000). Nurses who have stress-relieving recourses were younger (t = −2.842, p = 0.005), reported higher levels of overall health (t = 2.727, p = 0.007), had higher levels of sleep quality measured by the PSQI (t = −2.560, p = 0.011), and required less time to fall asleep (t = −3.207, p = 0.001). Conclusions: This study showed an association between stress and sleep satisfaction among shift work nurses in Japan. In addition, nurses that engage in activities to manage stress might achieve higher levels of health and high sleep quality.

Work-related quality of life and performance appraisal among nurses at a tertiary hospital in Philippines

Objective:The objective of the study is to describe the work-related quality of life(WRQOL)among nurses and explore its association with performance evaluation ratings.Methods:A cross-sectional design was utilized measuring the WRQOL scale and the previous performance appraisal rating.Multistage sampling approach was utilized with nurses stratified based on their position and then systematically random sampled based on their unit assignment.Results:One hundred and eighty-two nurses were included.About half reported a high quality of work life(101;55.5%).Low scores were noted on the subscale working conditions(100;54.9%),low to average responses for home-work interface(109;59.9%),control at work(100;54.9%),and stress at work(90;49.5%).A higher proportion of nurses reported positive responses toward the areas of general well-being(113;62.1%)and job-career satisfaction(112;61.5%),than in the other subscales.There were notable differences between WRQOL ratings:(1)Head nurses had the highest perceived quality of work life,followed by nurse supervisors and charge nurses(F=6.1,P<0.01)and(2)Nurses in the pay-patient services reported lower quality of working life,while those in office and outpatient services had more positive scores(F=4.6,P<0.01).Conclusion:Only more than half of the nurses reported a high quality of work life,some of its dimensions,particularly job and career satisfaction and working conditions,appeared to vary in the perceived degree across years in service,work hours,and position.The assessment of the quality of work life may serve as an important tool to address staff burnout,absenteeism and other issues that affect job performance among health-care professionals.

Psychological capital mediates the association between nurses'practice environment and work engagement among Chinese male nurses

Objectives:This study aims to investigate the environmental and individual factors contributing to male nurses'psychological well-being and to explore the psychological mechanisms that may explain the links between nurses'practice environment and work engagement,thereby presenting the implications for nurse managers.Methods:A total of 161 male nurses from three tertiary first-class hospitals in Changsha City in China participated in the study.We collected the data using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index,the Psychological Capital Questionnaire,and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale.Results:Scores of male nurses'practice environment(2.88±0.31),psychological capital(4.42±0.62),and work engagement(3.17±1.39)were all above the midpoint;however,the subscales"the nursing staffing and resources adequacy"(2.72±0.48),"hope"(4.33±0.72),and"dedication"(2.96±1.61)scored lowest.Nurses'practice environment and psychological capital positively predicted nurses'work engagement;psychological capital fully mediated the influence of nurses'practice environment on work engagement.Conclusions:Creating a supportive nursing practice environment can increase male nurses'work engagement by developing their psychological capital.Nurse managers can then provide reasonable workload and pathways for male nurses to achieve goals,thereby fostering their hope.

Potential effects of the nursing work environment on the work-family conflict in operating room nurses

BACKGROUND The nursing working environment is an important subsystem in the hospital environment.A good working environment could have a positive impact on nurses.However,the work-family conflict and unsatisfactory working environment could significantly reduce their working enthusiasm,efficacy as well as the overall quality of the nursing,increase their fatigue,and thereby compromise their career status.AIM To explore the possible status quo and to analyze the correlation between work environment perception and the work-family conflict among nurses in the operating room.METHODS A total of 312 operating room nurses from two first-class hospitals at Grade 2 and two first-class hospitals at Grade 3 in China from May to September 2017 were included in this research using the cluster sampling method.The data,including the general information questionnaire,the practice environment scale of the nursing work index(PES-NWI),and the work-family conflict scale,were systematically collected.Pearson correlation analysis was applied to analyze the correlation between the two scores,with influencing factors analyzed by hierarchical regression analysis.RESULTS A total of 312 questionnaires were issued,and the response rate and effective questionnaire rate were both 96.15%(300/312).The total scores of the PES-NWI scale and the work-family conflict scale were 3.07±0.43(vs maximum up to 4 points)and 52.32±8.79(vs maximum up to 90 points),respectively.The scores of the PES-NWI scale were negatively correlated with that of work-family conflict scale(all P<0.05).The perception of the nursing work environment and the number of night shifts per month were the major factors contributing to the workfamily conflict(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION The nursing work environment and the work-family conflict among nurses in the operating room were both found at a medium level with a negative correlation between the two.

An integrative review of the influence of job strain and coping on nurses'work performance:Understanding the gaps in oncology nursing research

Nursing is known to be a stressful profession that can lead to physical and psychological health issues and behavioural problems.In oncology,workload among nurses is believed to be increasing in conjunction with rapidly increasing numbers of patients with cancer and staff shortages worldwide,therefore it is essential to sustain a quality oncology nurse workforce.Numerous studies have presented evidence on job strain,effects of coping strategies,and nurses'work performance within healthcare settings,but few have focused on oncology settings and none of these on nurses working in Saudi Arabia.The purpose of this review was to summarize empirical and theoretical evidence concerning job-related stressors in nurses,particularly oncology nurses,and the interrelationships among job strain,coping strategies,and work performance in this population.Search strategies identified studies published on studies in peer-reviewed journals from 2004 to 2016.Twenty-five nursing studies were found examining the relationships among the concepts of interest.Common job-related stressors among oncology nurses were high job demands,dealing with death/dying,lack of job control,and interpersonal conflicts at work.Job strain was found to be significantly linked to coping strategies,and negatively associated with work performance among nurses in general.There is no existing empirical evidence to support the relationship between coping strategies and work performance among oncology nurses.The present evidence is limited,and a considerable amount of research is required in the future to expand the oncology nursing literature.Research is needed to investigate job-related stressors and their effects on oncology nurses.

Investigation of the working conditions of nurses in public hospitals on the basis of nurse-friendly hospital criteria

Objective:This descriptive study reveals how nurses working in public hospitals rated their practice environments with respect to nurse-friendly hospital criteria.Methods:This study was conducted on 460 nurses volunteering to participate this study among 735 nurses working in inpatient wards of three public hospitals.Data were collected using a personal information form and the Adapted Nursing Work IndexeRevised.Numbers,percentages,means and standard deviations,t-test and one-way variance analysis were used to evaluate the data.Results:Among the nurse-friendly hospital criteria,‘control of nursing practice’,‘middle management accountability’and‘quality initiatives’had the highest mean scores,and‘competitive wages’had the lowest mean score.The assessments of the nurses presented statistically significant differences with respect to personal and occupational variables.Conclusion:The nurses found most of the nurse-friendly hospital criteria adequate,but they believed that several areas needed improvement.

Dietary, Anthropometric, Biochemical and Psychiatric Indices in Shift Work Nurses

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare nutrients intake, anthropometric, biochemical and psychiatric indices between shift working and day-time nurses. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in which ninety eight female nurses (55 day-time workers and 43 shift workers) from six educational hospitals of Jondi-Shapour University of medical sciences, Ahvaz, Iran were participated. A questionnaire including dietary, anthropometric, disease history and lifestyle pattern questions was completed and 3-day 24-hour recalls, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were collected. Serum hs-CRP and 25(OH)D3 concentrations were measured by immunoturbidimetric and electrochemiluminescent immunoassay method, respectively. Anthropometric indices were measured according to World health organization standard protocol. Independent sample t and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: There was a lower dietary intake of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, magnesium and iron in shift worker compared with day-time nurses (p < 0.05). No significant differences in serum hs-CRP concentrations, serum 25(OH)D3 levels, vitamin D deficiency percentage, hemoglobin and hematocrite concentrations, and also anthropometric and psychiatric variables were found between two groups. Duration of exposure to sunlight was significantly higher in shift workers than in day time nurses. Engagement time in weekly physical exercise was around 11 times greater in day-time nurses compared with the shift work nurses (p = 0.001). Conclusions: This study showed that shift working is associated with some nutritional deficiencies and sedentary lifestyle among female nurses.

Evaluation of a Mobile Station Electronic Health Record on Documentation Compliance and Nurses’ Attitudes

Electronic Health Record (EHR) Systems have been adopted by healthcare organizations for documentation of patient care. Often these information systems are embedded in mobile nurse stations. As part of assessing the impact of this technology it is important to determine the effect it has on charting compliance and user acceptance. Data were collected at a medical center in Taiwan in two stages. The first stage involved use of a 28-item medical review tool to measure charting compliance in 99 charts before and after implementation of the EHR system. In stage two, a survey was conducted with 709 nurse users to determine their level of mobile EHR acceptance 3 months after this documentation technology was initiated. Results demonstrated that EHR significantly improved documentation compliance in standardized data entry format (name, date, time), abbreviation, content correction/revision, patient care needs, and care goals. Analysis of data from the five categories of a user acceptance survey revealed the following results (based on a 4-point Likert scale): patient care (2.92), nursing efficiency (2.78), education and training (2.98), usability (2.61), and usage benefits (2.87). The study concluded that use of mobile nurse stations with EHR can improve documentation compliance and that although frequent system downtime needs improvement, nurses generally have positive attitudes toward this technology application.

Job characteristics and staying engaged in work of nurses: Empirical evidence from Malaysia

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between job characteristics (job autonomy,job feedback,skill variety,task identity,task significance) and work engagement of nurses in Malaysia.Methods: A survey using self-administered questionnaires was used to collect data from a sample of 856 staff nurses working in eight public hospitals in Malaysia.A shortened nine-item version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale(UWES-9) was used to measure work engagement.The UWES-9 comprises three dimensions,which was measured with three items each: vigor,dedication,and absorption.Job characteristics (job autonomy,job feedback,skill variety,task identity,task significance) were measured with the corresponding subscales of the Job Diagnostic Survey.Each subscale consisted of three items.Hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analysis.Results: Findings indicated that all the five demographic variables (age,marital status,education,organizational tenure,job tenure) were unrelated to work engagement.The results further revealed that job autonomy (β=0.19,P < 0.01),job feedback (β=0.10,P < 0.01),task identity (β=0.13,P < 0.01),and task significance (β=0.08,P< 0.05) were positively related to work engagement.Skill variety (β=0.03,P> 0.05),however,did not affect work engagement.Conclusion: Job autonomy,job feedback,task identity,and task significance are important factors in predicting work engagement.The findings of this study highlighted the need to incorporate these core dimensions in nursing management to foster work engagement.

Sense of courage:The mediating role of courage between emotional reflexivity and work-life integration among nurses in Indian hospitals

Objectives:This study aimed to determine the relationship between emotional reflexivity and work-life integration through the mechanism of moral courage and enhance our understanding of the importance of these nursing concepts to enable the nurses to develop better coping strategies for work-life integration.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was performed with 249 nurses,including staff nurses,ICU and critical care nurses,operation theatre nurses,pediatric nurses from 17 hospitals.Emotional Reflexivity,work-life integration,and courage were measured using a demographic information questionnaire,Life Project Reflexivity Scale(LPRS),Nurse’s Moral Courage Scale(NMCS),andWork-Life Boundary Enactment(WLBE)scale.A series of multiple regressions analyzed the mediating effect.Results:Emotional Reflexivity was positively correlated with work-life integration(b=0.66,P<0.01).There was a positive correlation between emotional reflexivity and moral courage.But the path did not get the necessary support in the structural equation modeling(SEM)(b=0.13,P=0.40).When controlling for courage(b=0.42,P<0.01),the association was significant between emotional reflexivity and work-life integration with partial mediation.Conclusion:The study reported a positive correlation between reflexivity and work-life integration.Thus,nurses’work-life integration becomes better by reinforcing their emotional reflexivity and moral courage.

Experiences of Staying Healthy in Relationally Demanding Jobs: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study of Work-Engaged Nurses in the Hospital

Background: Based on the experience of hospital nurses, the aim of this study is to explore the phenomenon of how work-engaged nurses stay healthy in relationally demanding jobs involving very sick and/or dying patients. Method: In-depth interviews were conducted with ten work-engaged nurses employed at the main hospital in one region in Norway. The interviews were interpreted using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis method (IPA). Results: The results indicate the importance of using the personal resources: authenticity and a sense of humour for staying healthy. The nurses’ authenticity, in the sense of having a strong sense of ownership towards their personal life experiences, and a sense of having a meaningful life in line with their own values and interests, was an important element when they considered their own health to be good in spite of repetitive strain injuries and perceived stress. These personal resources seem to be positively related to their well-being and work engagement, which serves as an argument for including them among other personal resources, often conceptualized in terms of Psychological Capital (PsyCap). The results also showed that the nurses worked actively and intentionally with conditions that could contribute to safeguarding their own health. Conclusion: The results indicated the importance of stimulating the nurses’ area of knowledge about caring for themselves in order to enable them to maintain good physical and mental health. A focus on self-care should be part of the agenda as early as during nursing education.

Current Status and Influencing Factors of the Quality of Work Life of Nurses in Intensive Care Unit

Objective: To investigate the current status and influencing factors of the quality of work life of nurses in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Methods: A total of 243 ICU nurses from 6 general hospitals in Jingzhou were selected by convenient sampling method. Questionnaires were conducted with the general information questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and Work-Related Quality of Life Scale-2 (WRQoL-2). Results: The total average score of the quality of work life of ICU nurses was (3.35 ± 0.44), which was at a medium level. Department, professional title, frequency of night shift, experience of workplace violence and psychological resilience were the influencing factors of the quality of work life of nurses in ICU, accounting for 39.4% of the variance. Conclusion: The quality of work life of ICU nurses needs to be improved. Nursing managers should pay attention to the work environment of ICU nurses, rationally allocate manpower, and improve the status of psychological resilience of nurses, so as to improve their quality of work life.

Predictive roles of organizational and personal factors in work engagement among nurses

Objective:To determine the work engagement levels of hospital nurses and the predictive roles that nurses’personal and organizational characteristics play.Methods:A cross-sectional design was employed in this study,which included 549 nurses working in the Central Philippines.Nurses were selected through purposive sampling,and a self-repor t questionnaire outlining personal and organizational characteristics was employed.The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale(UWES)was applied to gather data about nurse engagement.Results:The dedication score was the highest among the three dimensions of engagement while the vigor score was the lowest.Overall,Filipino nurses experienced an average level of work engagement.We observed significant relationships between a nurse’s age,years of experience in nursing,years in their present unit,and their position at work and their levels of engagement,vigor,sense of dedication,and absorption.Hospital capacity was a negative predictor of vigor,dedication,absorption,and overall work engagement.Fur ther,the type of nursing contract was a negative predictor of vigor and dedication.The type of hospital and the nurse’s position were positive predictors of vigor,dedication,and absorption.Conclusions:Filipino nurses were satisfactorily engaged at work.A number of nurses’personal and organizational characteristics play a predictive role in their work engagement.Thus,nursing administrators must suppor t,develop,and implement activities and measures that engage nurses at work.

Conflict among Saudi nurses in hospitals:a qualitative study

Background:Conflict among nurses often has an undesirable effect on their work.Thus,understanding the predictable causes of conflict helps in dealing with it at an early stage,preventing negative consequences that may impact nurses’performance,ultimately affecting the quality of care and patient safety.This study aimed to explore the sources of conflict and how Saudi nurses in Taif deal with conflicts in hospitals.Method:A descriptive qualitative approach was employed,using the semi-structured interview method to collect data from 17 Saudi nurses working in 3 hospitals in the city of Taif from September 2022 to January 2023.Ethical approval was obtained from the Research and Studies Department at the Directorate of Health Affairs in Taif(IRB registration number with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology,KSA:HAP-02-T-067,approval number:720 on 10/08/2022).Results:The data revealed two main themes:firstly,conflicts arising among nurses,which can be categorized into two sub-themes:lack of awareness in work policies and procedures,and lack of communication;secondly,preemptive strategies for dealing with conflicts.Three sub-themes emerged in this regard:identifying conflict sources in advance,conducting regular meetings to enhance communication,and increasing awareness of policies and regulations while adhering to them.Conclusion:Conflict negatively impacts the quality of nursing care.Therefore,it is crucial to implement preventive and early measures,such as improving communication among nurses and enhancing awareness of policies and procedures,to address the ambiguities that lead to workplace conflict.

Challenges in Work-Family Balance and Support Needs of Japanese Parents with Nursery School-Aged Children

We aimed to identify the challenges parents face raising preschool-aged children when trying to maintain a good work-family balance. We also highlight how public health nurses can support the community in this regard. Seven Japanese parents volunteered to participate, and individual in-depth interviews were conducted from May to October 2021. We analyzed the recorded interview data using qualitative descriptive methods. Three main themes concerning work-family balance challenges were extracted: 1) conflicts between parents’ childcare and work roles, 2) issues related to institutions and social systems, and 3) a lack of informal support. Factors contributing to the difficulties were a lack of time to spend with their children;an imbalance in the division of housework and childcare roles between married couples;the employment environment in Japan that makes it difficult to pursue a career while raising children;a lack of childcare services, including childcare for sick children;inadequate consultation systems;and an aging grandparents’ generation owing to late marriages. To solve this problem, we suggest that in addition to establishing a reliable system for providing childcare, local public health nurses should work with childcare workers to create an environment in which parents feel comfortable discussing work-family balance, considering the time constraints of parents during the childrearing period, and use nursery schools as a place for parent-child support.

Prevalence of Occupational Stress and Related Risk Factors among Nurses Working in ASEER Region

Background: Over the last century, stress as an interdisciplinary concept has become an area of great interest and has been researched extensively. Although the earliest studies on stress were mostly physiological, psychological models of stress have been developed and established a link between stressors and illness in his model of general adaptation syndrome. Objective: To investigate prevalence and factors associated with occupational stress among nurses working Asser region Hospital. The study included nurses at different age groups working at different departments with assessment of any sources of stress. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted targeting nurses in the main hospitals in the Asser region, Southern Saudi Arabia. A total of the study samples of 217 nurses were required to estimate the expected average stress rate among nurses. A self-administered pre-structured questionnaire used for data collection. Results: Nurses’ ages ranged 21 to 55 years old with mean age of 30.9 ± 11.7 years old. Majority of the nurses were females 175 (80.6%). The highest mean score (more stress) was reported by nurses in relation to the following stress factors;working very hard (4.3 ± 0.9), followed by being under pressure to work long hours (4.2 ± 0.9), the opportunity given to do something is not real and enough (4.2 ± 1.0). The findings showed a significant relationship between nurses’ stress level, their personal and work-related characteristics (P = 0.001). Recommendations: Interventional programs to detect and alleviate sources and effects of occupational stress should be developed including more training regarding coping strategies, nurses’ support, and better work condition.

The effects of hazardous working conditions on burnout in Macao nurses

Objective:To examine the effects of various hazardous factors in working environments on burnout in a cohort of clinical nurses in Macao.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was used to examine specific workplace hazards for burnout in qualified nurses(n=424)in Macao.Structural equation modeling(SEM)was used to analyze relationships between specific hazards and manifestations of burnout.Results:In the final model,workplace hazards accounted for 73%of the variance of burnout with a standardized regression weight of 0.85.The measures of the model fit were acceptable.Bodily hazards,threats of violence,and physical environmental hazards were found to significantly contribute to two major determinants of burnout,emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.Conclusions:Workplace environmental hazards increased the risk of burnout amongst clinical nurses in Macao.Better management of these factors may help to protect nursing staff and reduce the risk of burnout and attrition from the nursing profession.