2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

The study on naps taken by nurses during a night shift

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20890140
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (Start-up)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Fundamental nursing
Research Institution	Okayama University
Principal Investigator	ORIYAMA Sanae Okayama University, 大学院・保健学研究科, 准教授 (20457203)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2009
Keywords	看護管理学 / 仮眠 / 看護労働 / 交代制勤務
Research Abstract	The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two short naps on nurses who work at night in three shifts. Fifteen female students on a late night shift from 0a.m.to 9a.m. ; take two naps ((1) 2:30a.m., (2) 5:30a.m.) during work hours. And sixteen nurses : Eight nurses take two naps, and eight nurses work for nine hours straight without taking a nap during work hours. Measurement for their sublingual temperature, pulse, and examined their sleepiness and fatigue levels every hour using a visual analog scale (VAS) were interval 1 hour. While no significant difference was found in sleepiness among the two groups, two short naps were found to be effective in reducing a feeling of fatigue during working hours.

(3 results)