J Korean Acad Nurs Adm.  2023 Sep;29(4):446-456. 10.11111/jkana.2023.29.4.446.

Changes in Working Hours and Labor Intensity and Their Effect on Sleep Difficulties of Shift Work Nurses in Hospitals

• Lee JY
• Hong KJ

• KMID: 2549552
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11111/jkana.2023.29.4.446

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to not only examine the changes in working hours and labor intensity, but also investigate their effects on sleep difficulties of shift work nurses.
Methods
Data from the 3rd (2011) to the 6th (2020) Korean Working Condition Surveys were analyzed, and the final sample included data of 514 nurses. Working time was measured considering nurses’ weekly working hours, number of night shifts, and number of days in a month when they worked more than 10 hours a day. Labor intensity included labor density, emotional labor, and work interruption. Sleep difficulty was measured using three items in 5th and 6th surveys.
Results
Weekly working hours, and long working days tended to decrease with the flow of the year, while work density, emotional labor, and work interruption tended to increase. Number of long working days, work density, and work interruption were found to produce a sleep difficulty effect in nurses.
Conclusion
To avoid sleep difficulties in nurses, adequate nurse staffing is required to prevent long working hours, and work density and work interruption need to be considered when determining the nurses’ workload.

Keyword

Nurses; Shift work; Working hours; Labor intensity; Sleep difficulty