Shift Work among Nursing Staff in Public Hospitals in the Congo: Consequences on Sleep

Introduction: The negative effects of shift work on sleep are well documented. The requirement for permanent hospital care requires nursing staff to adopt this organization. The objective of this study was to assess these effects on the sleep of nursing staff in Congolese public hospitals.

Materials and Methods: This was a multi-centre, cross-sectional descriptive study conducted from January to November 2021 with nursing staff from nine public hospitals. Data were collected using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Results: The study included 700 nurses and orderlies with a 22.54% participation rate. Female staff (83.6%) and those aged 30 to 50 (76.1%) were predominant, with 64.9% being nursing staff and 35.1% being caregivers. The "2X12" work schedule was predominant (66.6%), 73.9% of staff had a continuous pace and 94.6% had rapid turnover. Daytime sleepiness, drowsiness and poor sleep quality were observed in 33.6%, 4.9% and 42% of nursing staff, respectively. Significant associations were found between sleep disorders on the one hand and age, number of dependent children, hours, and pace of shift work on the other.

Conclusion: The health impacts of the work, including sleep disorders in nursing staff in our hospitals, are real and require prevention, which will result in better services for patients.