THE CONSEQUENCES OF
DOING NIGHT SHIFTS IN
HEALTHCARE
How to prevent the negative ones?
Subject Quality and Safety
Name X
Workgroup teacher X
Student number X
Deadline 03-12-2020
Number of words 2200
, Introduction
Night shifts are essential to guarantee the continuity of care, however opinions about these shifts are
contradictory (Cocozza, Mendel, Robert & Nuffield, 2008). On one hand professionals prefer them. It
increases productivity due to less disruptions or it gives them chances to bond with colleagues. On
the other hand, professionals talk about the difficulty to stay awake at night. It is therefore no
surprise that science shows associations between working at night and sleep problems (Ganesan, et
al., 2019). These problems often result in decreased cognitive performances with clinical errors as
consequence. Another research concluded that performing surgeries at night leads to increased risks
of postoperative morbidity and mortality (Althoff et al., 2020). Attention to the effects of these shifts
is therefore important to facilitate safe and good quality of care.
The effect on quality and safety of care depends on the effect working at night has on
professionals, and therefore their tolerance to it (Saksvik, Bjorvatn, Hetland, Sandal & Pallesen,
2011). Science has shown that personal factors, like being a morning-person, determine how
professionals cope with these shifts. It can also differ between the number of nights professionals
have to work consecutively (Natvik et al., 2011). This seems to be an emotional, but also a structural
challenge (Bate, Mendel & Robert, 2015). It is based upon the challenge to create structures for
professionals to perform well at night, but also about handling their emotions properly, like
frustration due to less sleep. This essay will touch upon this subject and answer the following
question: ‘How can the risk of adverse effects of night shifts be reduced to improve quality and safety
of care?’ By providing a conceptual framework and analysing four empirical studies, an answer will
be given in the conclusion and critically reviewed in the discussion.
1
DOING NIGHT SHIFTS IN
HEALTHCARE
How to prevent the negative ones?
Subject Quality and Safety
Name X
Workgroup teacher X
Student number X
Deadline 03-12-2020
Number of words 2200
, Introduction
Night shifts are essential to guarantee the continuity of care, however opinions about these shifts are
contradictory (Cocozza, Mendel, Robert & Nuffield, 2008). On one hand professionals prefer them. It
increases productivity due to less disruptions or it gives them chances to bond with colleagues. On
the other hand, professionals talk about the difficulty to stay awake at night. It is therefore no
surprise that science shows associations between working at night and sleep problems (Ganesan, et
al., 2019). These problems often result in decreased cognitive performances with clinical errors as
consequence. Another research concluded that performing surgeries at night leads to increased risks
of postoperative morbidity and mortality (Althoff et al., 2020). Attention to the effects of these shifts
is therefore important to facilitate safe and good quality of care.
The effect on quality and safety of care depends on the effect working at night has on
professionals, and therefore their tolerance to it (Saksvik, Bjorvatn, Hetland, Sandal & Pallesen,
2011). Science has shown that personal factors, like being a morning-person, determine how
professionals cope with these shifts. It can also differ between the number of nights professionals
have to work consecutively (Natvik et al., 2011). This seems to be an emotional, but also a structural
challenge (Bate, Mendel & Robert, 2015). It is based upon the challenge to create structures for
professionals to perform well at night, but also about handling their emotions properly, like
frustration due to less sleep. This essay will touch upon this subject and answer the following
question: ‘How can the risk of adverse effects of night shifts be reduced to improve quality and safety
of care?’ By providing a conceptual framework and analysing four empirical studies, an answer will
be given in the conclusion and critically reviewed in the discussion.
1
