The Impact of Shift Work on the Well-Being of Nurses: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Shift work is essential in nursing due to the need for continuous patient care, ensuring that critical health services are available around the clock. However, the demands of shift work introduce substantial stressors for nurses, impacting their well-being across multiple dimensions. This study conducted through qualitative systematic review investigates the impacts of shift work on the well-being of nurses, focusing on the challenges it poses, and the coping strategies used to manage these impacts. This study was guided by Betty Neuman's Systems Model and the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping as a theoretical framework. This study examined literature published between 2015 to 2024 and these articles were obtained from scientific databases, Academic Search Elite, CINAHL, and MEDLINE. Eight articles were analysed using thematic content analysis, uncovering a range of shift work impacts, including but not limited to sleep disorder, stress and anxiety, fatigue and exhaustion and the divergent coping strategies used by nurses. An inclusion and exclusion method were applied to screen and filter the articles, with the data collection process subsequently displayed in a PRISMA flow chart. Findings contribute to the discourse on optimising nurse well-being within the shift work context and underscore the importance of support structures that can mitigate adverse outcomes associated with shift schedules. This study ultimately offers insights valuable for healthcare administrators, policymakers, and nursing professionals striving to balance the demands of continuous care with the imperative of sustaining nurse health and well-being.