Night shift workers should get their hearts checked early if they feel any pain or discomfort in their chests to prevent the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) & coronary heart disease (CHD). Indeed, research has shown driving after being awake for 20 hours or more and at the body’s circadian low point (in the night or very early morning when it needs sleep most) is as dangerous as driving with blood alcohol levels above the legal limit. And workers who drive home after a 12-hour shifts are twice as likely to crash as those working 8-hour shifts. Cognitive function is impaired after 16 to 18 hours awake leading to a deterioration in the medical worker’s ability to interact effectively with patients and colleagues. When fatigue sets in, we in the medical and nursing team are less empathic with patients and colleagues, vigilance becomes more variable, and logical reasoning is affected, making it hard to calculate, for example, the correct doses of drugs a patient needs Night-shift workers are at higher risk of developing sleep disorders and metabolic syndrome. Incorporating aerobic exercise into their physical activity can improve sleep quality and prevent heart attack. We need to change the way we manage night shifts to mitigate the effects of fatigue. Those working shifts must ensure everyone gets a power nap, and that we support each other to remain safe and vigilant when we work through the night. Staffing schedules should allow sufficient time between shifts for proper rest, and no-one should do more than 3 night shifts in a row
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Sunday, March 23, 2025