DefinePK

Abstract

Background: Nurses working in rotating shifts face numerous challenges due to irregular work patterns, which can negatively impact their physical, psychological, and social well-being. In Pakistan, limited research has been conducted on this topic, especially within tertiary care hospital settings. Objective: To evaluate the impact of rotating shift schedules on the physical and psychological health of nurses working in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at tertiary care hospital, Lahore. A total of 108 registered nurses were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected through a validated structured questionnaire, analyzed using SPSS version 23.0, and interpreted through descriptive statistics. Results: The study's findings indicate that 50% nurses perceive it as a barrier to decision-making, 70% acknowledge sleep difficulties, and 54% identify time limits for exercise. 59% are concerned about the quality of communication. 41% believe that religious activities are affected, and 42% identify problems with knowledge transfer when nurses take over responsibilities. Regarding the quality of patient treatment, opinions differ (51% good). Physical health impacts affect 70.4%, social life is disturbed for 60%, and stress levels affect 68.5% of people. Other concerns include poor nutrition (57.4%), fatigued nurses (72.2%), and neglect of children (71.5%), changed elimination patterns (58.4%), expected lifespan (58%), memory issues (57.4%), hormonal disturbances (57.4%), conflicts at work (64.8%), and the likelihood of infection (61.1%). Lastly, 58.4% believe that absenteeism is high. Conclusions: Alternating shift schedules have bad impact on health. Irregularity in working hours, mainly in healthcare institutions can cause psychological, physiological, social, and mental disturbances. Recommendation: To ensure nurses effective shifts management without any disturbance to their circadian rhythms, it is recommended that implement proper structured six hour shifts with rotating schedules.  Furthermore, it is necessary to maintain adequate rest duration between shifts to allow for proper recovery.