Study on Work Load of Matrons under Shift Work in a Special Nursing Home for the Elderly.

Abstract

In order to find out the work load of matrons under shift work in a special nursing home for the elderly (SNH), six healthy female matrons volunteered to participate in the present study. For each subject, care working time, heart rate, walking steps, estimated energy expenditure and working time in different postures were determined during day shift work (540 min) and night shift work (960 min). Although the time on duty, working and recess were significantly longer in night shift work than day shift work, the percentages of working and recess time to duty time were nearly the same regardless of shift work. The longest care work in each shift work was individual care of residents in the SNH. The maximum, minimum and mean heart rate and percentages to estimated maximal heart rate were similar in each shift work. Although total walking steps in night shift work were significantly larger than those in day shift work, steps per hour did not differ between them. The estimated total energy expenditure (kcal) was significantly higher in night shift work than in day shift work; however, the work intensity (kcal/kg/min) was significantly higher in day shift work. The longest length and larger percentage of working time were observed in standing posture in each shift work. These findings suggest that physical activity and energy expenditure of matrons under either shift work in the SNH seem to be high. Further studies are needed to clarify the work load of matrons engaged in SNH to formulate countermeasures.

Physiological and behavioural response patterns at work among hospital nurses

“…(2001) reported a reverse correlation between %HR max and cardiorespiratory fitness among hospital nurses. Regardless of cardiorespiratory fitness status, positive correlations between HR and the strenuousness of patient handling activities were seen in a number of studies (Wakui 2000, Nuikka et al. 2001, Wakui et al.…”

“…Previous studies of nursing activities (Irimagawa et al. 1991, 1993, Garcia 1993, Irimagawa & Imamiya 1993a, Wakui 2000, Wakui et al. 2002) measured EE spent at work by tracking heart rates (HRs) via the HR–oxygen uptake relationship.…”

“…Work pace (WP) was measured using pedometers to count the number of walking steps per shift in a number of studies of nursing activities (Garcia 1993, Irimagawa & Imamiya 1993b, Takahashi et al. 1999, Wakui 2000, Wakui et al. 2002).…”

Musculoskeletal disorders among staff in South Korea’s largest nursing home

“…Studies have shown that the more dependent the patient, the higher the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among their caring staff (2). Employment within a nursing home usually involves repetitive work, working fast and expending significant amounts of energy (3)(4)(5)(6). Staff caring for the elderly are often fatigued after work and may have high strain complaint rates (7,8).…”

Physical activity in shift workers: building evidence to inform health promotion practice

“…It has been estimated that nurses spend approximately 31% of their shift time in patient's rooms and 91% doing nursing tasks such as documentation and charting (35%), medication administration (17%) and direct patient care (19%) 123 . As such, studies that have objectively measured nurses' physical activity while they are conducting these tasks primarily report that they spend most of their shifts standing and in slow walking 124,125 .…”