Abstracts Division 1
3. Strategies and lifestyle behaviors of nurses working irregular night shifts in relation to their perceived sleep quality
Uthman Albakri,1,2 Nick Smeets3, Elizabeth Drotos,1 IJmert Kant4, and Ree Meertens1
1Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, and Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, the Netherlands
2 Department of Public Health, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Albaha University, Saudi Arabia
3 Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), department Human Resources, the Netherlands
4 Department of Epidemiology, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, the Netherlands
Aims
To understand the sleep strategies and lifestyle behaviors that affect perceived sleep quality of good and poor sleepers of nurses working irregular night shifts and to determine whether the differences between the two groups could provide insights into possible good strategies.
Design
A qualitative interview study.
Methods
Thirty-four nurses working irregular night shifts participated; 17 were classified as good sleepers and 17 as poor sleepers based on the Sleep-Wake Experience List. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, using a guide of open questions regarding strategies/lifestyle behaviors around the night-shift set and for switching to a normal sleep rhythm. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed by two researchers using thematic analysis.
Results
Both groups described similar and different strategies that help them work and sleep well during and after night shifts. However, good sleepers mentioned a greater number of strategies and thought about them more often than the group of poor sleepers. The most common strategies were having a clear structure, being organized—especially regarding sleeping time—maintaining a daily routine, and adjusting their sleep environment.
Conclusion
The main difference between good and poor sleepers appears to be that good sleepers have a clear plan for the night shift period that works for them, using more strategies than poor sleepers and using them consistently.
Impact
These findings indicate that good sleepers have a clear, consistent plan for the night shift period. Having a clear structure, being organized, maintaining a daily routine, and adjusting the sleep environment are often part of such a plan. To develop sleep promoting interventions among nurses working irregular night shifts, they could be stimulated to develop such plans, therein considering their individual characteristics. Future research should help identify and encourage nurses to experiment with strategies/behaviors to find out what works best for them.
NUTRIM | School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism
NUTRIM aims to contribute to health maintenance and personalised medicine by unraveling lifestyle and disease-induced derangements in metabolism and by developing targeted nutritional, exercise and drug interventions. This is facilitated by a state of the art research infrastructure and close interaction between scientists, clinicians, master and PhD students.
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