The Relationship between Work Shifts and Work Environment with Nurse Fatigue in the Emergency Department

Abstract

Introduction: Work fatigue is one of the common health problems faced by nurses. Work shifts and work environment are factors that cause work fatigue for nurses. Nurse fatigue can cause work accidents and decreased work productivity. It was reported that 47% of employees experienced decreased productivity, and 32% of employees experienced injuries and near misses due to work fatigue. This research aimed to figure out whether and to what extent work shifts and work environment were correlated with nurse fatigue at the emergency department of Surabaya Haji General Hospital. Method: This analytic observational study employed a cross-sectional approach with work fatigue as the dependent variable and work shifts and work environment as independent variables. This research used the Spearman’s correlation test with 30 emergency department nurses at Surabaya Haji General Hospital as the samples. The instruments used in this research were work environment questionnaires and work fatigue questionnaires from IFRC. Results: The results showed that work shift had a very weak relationship with work fatigue. At the same time, there was a moderate relationship between work environment and work fatigue. Conclusion: The work fatigue among emergency department nurses at the Surabaya Haji General Hospital observed had a very weak relationship with work shifts and a moderate relationship with their work environment.

Analysis of Fatigue Among Nurse Educators in Brazilian Public Universities During the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…A study 13 performed 9/14 with nurses identified that workers experiencing mental fatigue throughout a working day find it difficult to think and concentrate, become tired when speaking, are anxious and forgetful, lack confidence, are unable to control their behavior and fail to do a good job. Additionally, they may have poor physical condition, characterized by stiff shoulders, back pain, heavy breathing, thirst, and dizziness 13 . Such a fact may be related to a lack of experience or the necessary infrastructure, which often requires educators to spend much more time preparing for online teaching, particularly to create an environment where students can interact freely 19 .…”

“…It involves three types of energy resources: physical (involving muscle movement), mental (involving cognitive processing), and emotional (involving emotion regulation and expression). 10 Professional contexts that are usually related to fatigue as there is a high likelihood of workers developing fatigue include hospitals, [11][12][13] pharmaceutical services, 14 and teaching 15 .…”

“…Thus, the educational context of ERT in the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges faced by nurse educators, for which many were unprepared or had no training, indicated the need to study the fatigue phenomenon and the variables that may influence the health of teaching workers more in-depth. Even though there are studies addressing this phenomenon, [11][12][13][14][15] no studies have been identified thus far associating fully or partially online classes during the Covid-19 pandemic with work-related fatigue among nurse educators at public universities.…”

Scoping Review on Measurement Tool for Work Fatigue

“…Work fatigue is a physical, mental, and emotional condition caused by excessive tasks or constant work pressure [1]. This is a frequent problem in different fields of work and can affect the well-being and productivity of individuals as well as the organization as a whole [2] [3]. The significance of addressing work fatigue in contemporary society cannot be overstated.…”

“…High levels of fatigue among employees are often associated with increased absenteeism, where employees are physically present but unable to perform at their best [11]. This can result in decreased productivity, lower-quality work, and missed deadlines [3]. Additionally, fatiguerelated errors or accidents can pose significant safety risks, particularly in industries such as healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing.…”