Contrary to what was thought, the 12-hour shifts in hospitals are not as advantageous as presupposed. According to a European report focused on data from 12 countries, among them Spain, working part-whole day promotes emotional exhaustion, job dissatisfaction and desire to finalize the contract.
In some countries like England, Ireland and Poland, this working system is becoming more common. Among the pros argued, it is believed that, compared to the usual seven and eight hour-shifts, it «increases efficiency and productivity and offers greater flexibility and more full days off,» reads the document. However, «these patterns have not been thoroughly analyzed,» say the researchers responsible for this report.
A coordinated survey of 488 hospitals in Belgium, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden and Spain also sheds some more light on the matter. In total, 31,627 nursing workers between 2009 and 2010 answered a questionnaire of 118 questions. The initial objective, explains one of the researchers involved, Teresa Moreno Casbas, of the Research Unit in Health Care Institute Carlos III (Madrid), was «to see if the training and the number of patients assigned to each nurse increased or reduced mortality in surgery on the third day. «Indeed, they influence, like the fact of being «un-refreshed».
Among the issues that were raised, they had to answer about their working environment and their satisfaction with different aspects, such as working shifts. This was the basis for the secondary analysis just released by the British Medical Journal Open. The authors used an international ranking that scores emotional exhaustion (MBI) and the expressions of the respondents.
The average age of respondents was 38 years, and most were women. According to the findings, the most common shift was eight or fewer hours (50%), almost a third of participants worked eight to 10 hours (31%), 4%, between 10 and 12 hours and 14%, 12 or more hours. Although the latter two shifts do not represent a high percentage in general, some countries do apply them more frequently. For example, in England (39%), Ireland (79%)and Poland (99%). It is not the case for Spain, where «12-hour shift is rare» says Moreno Casbas. «There are very few hospitals in Spain that incorporate it. The managers do not like it. It generates “a lot of controversy.»
In the same direction, Rafael Reig, secretary general of Satse union, confirmed that «12-hour shifts are rare in our country. The vast majority of nurses do rotating shifts of seven hours.»
According to the data, the authors of the European analysis have observed that one in four (27%) respondents showed high emotional exhaustion, while 17% acknowledged their «intention to leave the job.» Specifically, job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion of working more than 12 hours amounted to 40% and 31% felt like leaving.
Although this is an exploratory study and conclusions, therefore, are not definitive as to the direct cause-effect relationship, «the results raise important questions for managers and entrepreneurs, who must be aware of the potential effects of exhaustion which increases the risk of making a mistake and affects the quality of health care, welfare and increased employee absenteeism, «the researchers argue.
The truth is that, to date, scientific literature sustained that the 12-hour shifts help retain nurses in clinical practice in a hospital, as it provides them more flexibility, fewer days worked per week (the same hours with other distribution) and more days off. It was believed that enhanced job satisfaction. However, given the latest data, the conditions of this group should be revised.
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In this sense, Moreno Casbas and his team are developing a project in the Carlos III Institute in which they collected data from 1,000 nurses who have been wearing sensors measuring their biological rhythms and their rest … So, «We will be able to determine which of the shift generates more difficulties to recover».
From his experience, «undoubtedly the fixed shifts are those that generate more satisfaction. Rotating does not allow organizing personal life the same way. The nurse has to wait three months for the returns.» As for the 12 hours of continuous work, «those who support it, say they can keep a better track of the patient (for example, 7 am to 7 pm). Those against, say they can not render the same and that their ability to react to difficult situations is worse. »
As Reig puts it, «we must seek the interest of nurses and patients. And what is clear is that in some specific services, such as ER and midwifery, it has been tested as a try experience and has not continued. “They end up very tired». The real issue for this profession continues, «are the rotations, this is what encourages professional neglection and the difficulty of attracting new nurses, but the solution is not the 12-hour shifts but alternatives such as anti-stress shifts, so as to have three or less free days every four or five days worked. «It is essential to find a better system «to reduce their stress level and anxiety, increase their satisfaction and to obtain a higher quality care with less risk of errors.»
Source:
http://www.elmundo.es/salud/2015/09/11/55f1d12e46163fd95a8b4595.html
