Effects of a Sleep Education Program on the Health Status of Healthcare Workers Working 12-hour Alternating Day-night Shifts
Working long, changing day and night shifts is common in hospitals, but it can affect healthcare staff's sleep and health. This study wants to find out if a special sleep education program can help these workers sleep better. When people work these types of shifts, their bodies can struggle with the constant changes, leading to poor sleep and other health issues like heart problems. This research will involve nurses and care assistants who have just started working 12-hour alternating day and night shifts. The team will provide them with six months of sleep education to see if it helps improve how long they sleep, ultimately aiming to support their health and wellbeing while doing such demanding jobs.
At a glance
What is this study about?
Working in hospitals often means long and changing shifts, where staff might work days one week and nights the next. While this helps provide care around the clock, it can be really hard on the people doing the work. Their bodies have a natural rhythm for sleeping and waking, and constantly changing this can lead to poor sleep, tiredness, and even increase the risk of other health problems, like issues with their heart. Some studies have even linked these kinds of shifts to unhealthy habits such as smoking or not exercising enough, which can also affect health.
Currently, there isn't much specific advice about sleep given to healthcare workers who do these demanding shifts. This study wants to change that. It aims to try out a special sleep education program, where nurses will learn about sleep and how to manage their sleep patterns better, especially with their challenging work schedule.
The main goal is to see if this program can help healthcare staff, such as nurses and care assistants, get more sleep. They will follow a group of staff who have recently started working these 12-hour day and night shifts. Over six months, they will receive sleep education from occupational health nurses. By seeing if this education helps improve sleep, the study hopes to find new ways to support the health and wellbeing of these vital workers.
Key takeaways
- Aims to improve sleep for hospital staff with challenging shifts.
- Focuses on a 6-month sleep education program.
- Involves nurses and care assistants new to 12-hour alternating shifts.
- No new medicines, just learning about sleep.
- Could help improve health and wellbeing for shift workers.
Who may be eligible?
This study is looking for healthcare staff who are new to working 12-hour alternating day and night shifts. This means you should be a nurse or care assistant who has been doing these specific types of shifts for less than six months. You also need to work at least 80% of a full-time job and be employed at one of the hospitals involved in the study. You must be aged between 18 and 65 years old.
There are also some reasons why you wouldn't be able to join. For example, if you've been working these kinds of shifts for more than six months, or if you've previously worked other unusual shift patterns for a long time. People with a history of certain mental health conditions, those taking medicines that affect their alertness, or pregnant or breastfeeding women cannot take part. Additionally, if you have certain severe sleep conditions like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome that aren't being treated, you wouldn't be eligible.
Finally, if you have a baby under one year old at home, or if you've recently traveled across many time zones, you wouldn't be able to participate. This helps make sure the study only includes people whose sleep patterns are affected mainly by their work shifts.
Could this study suit you?
Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.
- Are you a nurse or care assistant?
- Do you work 12-hour alternating day and night shifts, and have you been doing so for less than 6 months?
- Are you employed at one of the hospitals involved in the study?
- Are you between 18 and 65 years old?
- Are you generally healthy, without certain severe sleep conditions or taking medications that affect alertness?
What does participation involve?
If you join this study, you won't be taking any new medicines. Your involvement will focus on learning about sleep. You'll take part in a sleep education program led by occupational health nurses. The study will track your sleep patterns and health over six months to see how the education helps. This will likely involve filling out questionnaires about your sleep and health at different times during the study. The total duration of your active participation in the sleep education and monitoring will be six months.
Potential risks and benefits
Locations (3)
- Chu GrenobleVerified postcodeGrenoble, France
- Hospices Civils de LyonVerified postcodeLyon, France
- Chu Saint-EtienneVerified postcodeSaint-Etienne, France
Common questions
What is 'sleep education'?
Sleep education means learning about how sleep works, why it's important, and practical tips to improve your sleep quality and duration, especially with challenging work schedules.
Will I have to take any new medication?
No, this study does not involve taking any new medications. It focuses solely on sleep education.
How long will I need to be in the study?
Your active involvement in the study, including the sleep education program, will last for six months.
Who is running this study?
This study is being run by researchers looking into the health of healthcare workers, with input from occupational health nursing staff.
Will my involvement be kept private?
Yes, all your personal information and study results will be kept confidential and used only for research purposes.
How to find out more
Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.
Interested in taking part?
Discussion
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