Shu-Fen Niu1, Min-Huey Chung2, Hsin Chu3, Jui-Chen Tsai4, Chun-Chieh Lin5, Yuan-Mei Liao2, Keng-Liang Ou6, Anthony Paul O'Brien7, Kuei-Ru Chou8. 1. Department of Nursing, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Nursing, Fu Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan. 2. Graduate Institute of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. 3. Department of Neurology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Aerospace and Undersea Medicine, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. 4. Department of Nursing, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. 5. Department of Neurology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. 6. Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Research Center for Biomedical Devices and Prototyping Production, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Research Center for Biomedical Implants and Microsurgery Devices, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University-Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. 7. Clinical Nursing, Centre for Practice Opportunity and Development, Australia; Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Nursing and Midwifery, The university of Newcastle, Australia. 8. Graduate Institute of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Nursing, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Psychiatric Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: kueiru@tmu.edu.tw.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study explored the differences in the circadian salivary cortisol profiles between nursesworking night shifts and regular day shifts following a slow rotating shift schedule to assess the number of days required for adjusting the circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol levels in nurses working consecutive night shifts and the number of days off required to restore the diurnal circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol levels. METHODS: This was a prospective, longitudinal, parallel-group comparative study. The participants were randomly assigned to night and day-shift groups, and saliva samples were collected to measure their cortisol levels and circadian secretion patterns. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the overall salivary cortisol pattern parameters (cortisol awakening response, changes in cortisol profiles between 6 and 12h after awakening, and changes in cortisol profiles between 30 min and 12 h after awakening) from Days 2 to 4 of the workdays between both groups. However, on Day 2 of the days off, both groups exhibited similar cortisol profiles and the cortisol profiles in the night-shift group were restored. CONCLUSION:Nurses working night shifts require at least 4 days to adjust their circadian rhythms of cortisol secretions. Moreover, on changing from night shift to other shifts, nurses must be allowed more than 2 days off work.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: This study explored the differences in the circadian salivary cortisol profiles between nurses working night shifts and regular day shifts following a slow rotating shift schedule to assess the number of days required for adjusting the circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol levels in nurses working consecutive night shifts and the number of days off required to restore the diurnal circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol levels. METHODS: This was a prospective, longitudinal, parallel-group comparative study. The participants were randomly assigned to night and day-shift groups, and saliva samples were collected to measure their cortisol levels and circadian secretion patterns. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the overall salivary cortisol pattern parameters (cortisol awakening response, changes in cortisol profiles between 6 and 12h after awakening, and changes in cortisol profiles between 30 min and 12 h after awakening) from Days 2 to 4 of the workdays between both groups. However, on Day 2 of the days off, both groups exhibited similar cortisol profiles and the cortisol profiles in the night-shift group were restored. CONCLUSION: Nurses working night shifts require at least 4 days to adjust their circadian rhythms of cortisol secretions. Moreover, on changing from night shift to other shifts, nurses must be allowed more than 2 days off work.
Authors: Claudia L Orellana-Rios; Lukas Radbruch; Martina Kern; Yesche U Regel; Andreas Anton; Shane Sinclair; Stefan Schmidt Journal: BMC Palliat Care Date: 2017-07-06 Impact factor: 3.234
Authors: Jian Li; Martin Bidlingmaier; Raluca Petru; Francisco Pedrosa Gil; Adrian Loerbroks; Peter Angerer Journal: J Occup Med Toxicol Date: 2018-08-14 Impact factor: 2.646