NIOSH Training for Nurses on Shift Work and Long Work Hours

Key Points

• Make your staff nurses’ sleep a priority.
• Avoid difficult work-scheduling patterns (these are described in the next pages). Shift work and long shifts put nurses at risk for making patient care errors.^7-11
• A schedule that is regular and predictable helps nurses plan ahead for sleep and non-work responsibilities. The inability to plan is one factor that makes emergency, on call, mandatory, and unplanned overtime difficult.
• Allowing workers some control over their schedule helps improve health, safety, and well-being.
• Individuals vary in their ability to adjust to shift work. A select few can adapt without much trouble, and most will tolerate it with some difficulties, but others will not be able to adjust and will leave the job.