The Benefits Of Naps And Sleep Rooms For Night Shift Nurses

Sleep deprivation is much more than just an inconvenience for night-shift nurses. It can have a significant impact on patient safety, as well as on the safety of nurses themselves. Impaired decision-making, slower reflexes and motor skills, and heightened stress levels are all potential effects of too little sleep. Numerous studies have identified a link between the lack of sleep and increased safety risks for healthcare providers and patients. Its effects are generally most acute for nurses working on the night shift, and they may be even more pronounced for those in critical-care settings. Those specialized and demanding work environments require nurses to make quick assessments and rapid decisions. One potential solution to safety issues associated with sleep deprivation is to encourage nurses to use their break times to take brief naps. Often known as restorative napping, these short breaks have the potential to boost performance and accuracy, reduce fatigue and improve mood for nurses working extended hours or the night shift. Many hospitals have already made the link between sleep and performance with respect to doctors. As such, they have created sleep rooms for ER physicians, surgeons and specialists. With healthcare becoming increasingly complex, it will be more important for RNs and other nursing professionals to be well-rested and alert while on duty as well. Healthcare facilities that provide nurses with the opportunity for restorative napping could see improvements in performance and heightened safety for employees and patients.

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