CE: The potential effects of sleep loss on a nurse's health.

While much has been written about the effects of extended work hours on quality of nursing care, nurse burnout, and job attrition, the potential adverse effects of acute and chronic sleep loss on the overall health and well-being of nurses has received little attention. The author describes the acute and chronic effects of sleep loss on nurses, strategies nurses can use to increase the quantity and quality of their sleep, and institutional policies that can promote adequate rest and recuperation between work shifts for nursing staff.