Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kai-Suan Psychiatric Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
Sleep Med. 2011 Oct;12(9):866-9. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2011.03.018. Epub 2011 Sep 16.
A three-shift work schedule with fast rotation is common among healthcare workers in Taiwan. This study compared cognitive performance at the time of maximum fatigue (3-4am on the last night shift of the rotation) between nurses working two, three, and four consecutive night shifts.
Sixty-two nurses [mean age 26.4 (standard deviation 2.0) years] were recruited from the acute psychiatric ward and assigned at random to three groups: two, three, and four consecutive night shifts. The exclusion criteria were: current use of hypnotic drugs, regular consumption of coffee, psychiatric illness, major systemic disease, and sleep disorders. Cognitive performance was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Taiwan University Attention Test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, and Symbol Searching Test.
Greater impairment of perceptual and motor ability was seen among subjects who worked two consecutive night shifts compared with those who worked four consecutive night shifts. No differences in demographic data, executive function or attention were found between the three groups.
The main duties of nurses working night shifts at the study hospital include checking medical orders and prescriptions, which require perceptual and motor abilities. The results of this study suggested that a fast shift rotation may increase the risk of medical errors.
台湾的医护人员中，三班制且轮班迅速的工作安排很常见。本研究比较了在轮班最后一晚的最大疲劳时刻（凌晨 3-4 点）连续上两班、三班和四班夜班的护士的认知表现。
从急性精神科病房招募了 62 名护士（平均年龄 26.4（2.0）岁），并随机分配到三组：连续上两班、三班和四班夜班。排除标准为：正在使用催眠药物、经常喝咖啡、有精神疾病、有重大系统疾病和睡眠障碍。使用状态-特质焦虑量表、斯坦福嗜睡量表、威斯康星卡片分类测验、台湾大学注意力测验、数字符号替代测验和符号搜索测验评估认知表现。
与连续上四班夜班的护士相比，连续上两班夜班的护士的知觉和运动能力受损更严重。三组之间在人口统计学数据、执行功能或注意力方面没有差异。
研究医院夜班护士的主要职责包括检查医嘱和处方，这需要知觉和运动能力。本研究结果表明，快速轮班可能会增加医疗错误的风险。
