Factors affecting work ability in day and shift-working nurses

TY - JOUR

T1 - Factors affecting work ability in day and shift-working nurses

AU - Camerino, Donatella

AU - Conway, Paul Maurice

AU - Sartori, Samantha

AU - Campanini, Paolo

AU - Estryn-Béhar, Madeleine

AU - van der Heijden, Beatrice Isabella Johanna Maria

AU - Costa, Giovanni

PY - 2008/4

Y1 - 2008/4

N2 - Satisfactory work ability is sustained and promoted by good physical and mental health and by favorable working conditions. This study examined whether favorable and rewarding work-related factors increased the work ability among European nurses. The study sample was drawn from the Nurses' Early Exit Study and consisted of 7,516 nursing staff from seven European countries working in state-owned and private hospitals. In all, 10.8% were day, 4.2% were permanent night, 20.9% were shift without night shift, and 64.1% were shift workers with night shifts. Participants were administered a composite questionnaire at baseline (Time 0) and 1 yr later (Time 1). The Work Ability Index (WAI) at Time 1 was used as the outcome measure, while work schedule, sleep, rewards (esteem and career), satisfaction with pay, work involvement and motivation, and satisfaction with working hours at Time 0 were included as potential determinants of work ability. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted after adjusting for a number of confounders (i.e., country, age, sex, type of employment, family status, and other job opportunities in the same area). Work schedule was not related to Time 1 changes in WAI. Higher sleep quality and quantity and more favorable psychosocial factors significantly increased work ability levels. Higher sleep quality and quantity did not mediate the effect of work schedule on work ability. No relevant interaction effects on work ability were observed between work schedule and the other factors considered at Time 0. As a whole, sleep and satisfaction with working time were gradually reduced from day work to permanent night work. However, scores on work involvement, motivation, and satisfaction with pay and rewards were the highest in permanent night workers and the lowest in rotating shift workers that included night shifts.

AB - Satisfactory work ability is sustained and promoted by good physical and mental health and by favorable working conditions. This study examined whether favorable and rewarding work-related factors increased the work ability among European nurses. The study sample was drawn from the Nurses' Early Exit Study and consisted of 7,516 nursing staff from seven European countries working in state-owned and private hospitals. In all, 10.8% were day, 4.2% were permanent night, 20.9% were shift without night shift, and 64.1% were shift workers with night shifts. Participants were administered a composite questionnaire at baseline (Time 0) and 1 yr later (Time 1). The Work Ability Index (WAI) at Time 1 was used as the outcome measure, while work schedule, sleep, rewards (esteem and career), satisfaction with pay, work involvement and motivation, and satisfaction with working hours at Time 0 were included as potential determinants of work ability. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted after adjusting for a number of confounders (i.e., country, age, sex, type of employment, family status, and other job opportunities in the same area). Work schedule was not related to Time 1 changes in WAI. Higher sleep quality and quantity and more favorable psychosocial factors significantly increased work ability levels. Higher sleep quality and quantity did not mediate the effect of work schedule on work ability. No relevant interaction effects on work ability were observed between work schedule and the other factors considered at Time 0. As a whole, sleep and satisfaction with working time were gradually reduced from day work to permanent night work. However, scores on work involvement, motivation, and satisfaction with pay and rewards were the highest in permanent night workers and the lowest in rotating shift workers that included night shifts.

KW - Adaptation, Physiological

KW - Adult

KW - Data Collection

KW - Europe

KW - Fatigue

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Job Satisfaction

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Nurses

KW - Nursing Staff, Hospital

KW - Personnel Staffing and Scheduling

KW - Sleep

KW - Time Factors

KW - Work Schedule Tolerance

U2 - 10.1080/07420520802118236

DO - 10.1080/07420520802118236

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18484372

SN - 0742-0528

VL - 25

SP - 425

EP - 442

JO - Chronobiology International

JF - Chronobiology International

IS - 2

ER -