Prevalence and Factors Associated with Shift Work Disorder Among Nurses in a Large Hospital
Keywords:
shift work disorder, nurse, shift workAbstract
Shift work causes desynchronization between the body’s internal systems and the biological clock, potentially leading to Shift Work Disorder. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with Shift Work Disorder among registered nurses in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. This cross-sectional descriptive study involved 384 registered nurses selected via stratified cluster random sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires consisting of personal data, the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and the Shift Work Disorder Index (SWDI). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression. The results revealed a prevalence of shift work disorder of 60.7% among shift-working nurses, representing 53.1% of all participants enrolled in this study. Factors significantly associated with Shift Work Disorder included having an average of more than 5 night shifts per month (AOR=3.66; 95%CI: 1.89-7.07; p<0.001), having an average of 1 to 5 quick returns per month (AOR=2.66; 95%CI: 1.17-6.04; p=0.019), having an average of more than 5 quick returns per month (AOR=4.48; 95%CI: 1.94-10.35; p<0.001), and high perceived workload (AOR=2.54; 95%CI: 1.51-4.26; p<0.001). Conversely, working in the emergency department was identified as a protective factor compared to Inpatient Departments (AOR=0.20; 95%CI: 0.07-0.58; p=0.003). These findings indicate a high magnitude of Shift Work Disorder among nurses within the organization. Work-related factors, particularly night shift frequency, quick returns and high workload, are significant modifiable risk factors. The organization should consider implementing policies addressing these factors to promote nurses’ well-being.
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