Developing and validating an intervention model on lifestyle behaviors for aligning the circadian rhythms of nurses working in shifts

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K21119
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka Metropolitan University (2022-2023); Osaka City University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Iwasaki Kenichi 大阪公立大学, 大学院看護学研究科, 特任講師 (70912046)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 交替制勤務 / 看護師 / 生体リズム / 睡眠の質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nurses engaged in shift work are required to provide patient care on a 24-hour basis. As a result, their circadian rhythms are easily disrupted, which can significantly affect the quality of their daily sleep. A decline in sleep quality due to disrupted circadian rhythms may lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and breast cancer. However, there are no established lifestyle methods to ensure the quality of sleep for nurses to maintain their health. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate an intervention model on lifestyle behaviors for aligning the circadian rhythms of nurses working in shifts and to verify its effect on sleep quality.
As a result, it was suggested that an intervention model on lifestyle behaviors for aligning the circadian rhythms could contribute to improving the quality of sleep on days following night shifts (the day after the night shift) during workdays, night shifts, and holidays.

Free Research Field

看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回構築した看護師の生活行動に関する介入モデルにより、夜勤の終了日（夜勤明け日）の睡眠の質確保につながる可能性が示唆された。このことから、本モデルは、看護師の健康保持に対する夜勤後の具体的な生活方法として活用できる可能性があると考えられた。