ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the effects of accumulating nursing work on maximal and rapid strength characteristics in female nurses and compare these effects in day versus night shift workers.BackgroundNurses exhibit among the highest nonfatal injury rates of all occupations, which may be a consequence of long, cumulative work shift schedules. Fatigue may accumulate across multiple shifts and lead to performance impairments, which in turn may be linked to injury risks.MethodThirty-seven nurses and aides performed isometric strength-based performance testing of three muscle groups, including the knee extensors, knee flexors, and wrist flexors (hand grip), as well as countermovement jumps, at baseline and following exposure to three 12-hour work shifts in a four-day period. Variables included peak torque (PT) and rate of torque development (RTD) from isometric strength testing and jump height and power output.ResultsThe rigorous work period resulted in significant decreases (−7.2% to −19.2%) in a l...
['Brennan J. Thompson', 'Matt Stock', 'Victoria K. Banuelas']
Effects of Accumulating Work Shifts on Performance-Based Fatigue Using Multiple Strength Measurements in Day and Night Shift Nurses and Aides