Cited by 86Sleep and Work-Related FatigueSleep and related disordersHealthcare professionals’ stress and burnout

Sleep, stress and compensatory behaviors in Australian nurses and midwives

Open access
Dorrian, Jillian, Paterson, Jessica, Dawson, Drew, Pincombe, Jan, Grech, Carol, Rogers, Ann E·2011·Revista de Saúde Pública

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe sleep, stress and compensatory behaviors in nurses and midwives. METHODS: The study included 41 midwives and 21 nurses working in Australian hospitals between 2005 and 2009. Participation was voluntary. All participants recorded on a daily basis their work and sleep hours, levels of stress and exhaustion, caffeine intake and use of sleep aids for a month (1,736 days, 1,002 work shifts). RESULTS: Participants reported moderate to high levels of stress and exhaustion on 20-40% of work days; experienced sleep disruption on more than 50% of work days; struggled to remain awake on 27% of work days; and suffered extreme drowsiness or experienced a near accident while travelling home on 9% of workdays. Age, perceived sleep duration and work hours were significant predictors of caffeine intake. About 60% of participants reported using sleep aids (about 20% reported taking prescription medications and 44% of nurses and 9% of midwives reported alcohol use as a sleep aid at least once during the study). Stress and workdays were significant predictors of sedative use. Overall, 22% reported being indifferent or mildly dissatisfied with their job. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep problems, high levels of stress and exhaustion and low job satisfaction are prevalent among nurses and midwives. The use of alcohol and sleeping pills as sleep aids, and the use of caffeine to help maintain alertness is also common. Nurses and midwives may use caffeine to compensate for reduced sleep, especially on workdays, and sleeping pills to cope with their daily work-related stress.

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  • For nurses, shift work and long work hours are related to adverse health outcomes and indicators of reduced functioning.

    “For nurses, shift work and long work hours have been shown to be related to adverse health outcomes and indicators of reduced functioning.208–217”

    From Sleep, Health, and Society (2017) · cites this paper as [213]

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  1. Hart SG, Staveland LE. Development of NASA-TLX (task load index): results of empirical and theoretical research. In: Hancock PA, Meshkati N, editors. Human mental workload. Amsterdam: North Holland Press; 1988. p.239-50.

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Authors
Dorrian, J., Paterson, J., Dawson, D., Pincombe, J., Grech, C., & Rogers, A. E.
Affiliations
  • University of South Australia (AU)
  • Emory University (US)
Venue
Revista de Saúde Pública
Published
2011-10
Volume
45
Issue
5
Pages
922-930
ISSN
0034-8910 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2052032676
Cited by
86
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
FWCI
2.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • Revista de Saúde Pública (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • UniSA Research Outputs Repository (University of South Australia) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Acquire (CQUniversity) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Americanae (AECID Library) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
Keywords
sleep disorders, occupational stress, compensatory behavior, nurses, midwives, caffeine consumption, sleep aids, sedative use, sleep disruption, job satisfaction, exhaustion, sleepiness, working hours
MeSH terms
Adult, Central Nervous System Stimulants, Australia, Burnout, Professional, Caffeine, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Midwifery, Nursing Staff, Hospital, Sleep Deprivation, Time Factors, Occupational Health, Workload

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