Impact of Shift Work on the Quality of Life of Nursing Staff in Congo-Brazzaville: A Cross-sectional Study
Ebenguela Ebatetou Ataboho *
Faculty of Health Sciences, Marien Ngouabi University, Congo and Society of Forensic Medicine and Occupational Health of Congo, Congo.
Juste Morel Mantinou
Faculty of Health Sciences, Marien Ngouabi University, Congo.
Alhousseine Yansané
National Occupational Health Service, Guinea and Faculty of Health Science and Technology, UGANC, Guinea.
Jysses Geoffroy Kokolo
Society of Forensic Medicine and Occupational Health of Congo, Congo.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Introduction: The negative impact of shift work on quality of life is well-established. This study aimed to analyze the consequences of shift work on the quality of life of nursing staff in public hospitals in Congo-Brazzaville.
Materials and Methods: We conducted a multicentric cross-sectional study from March to August 2021, involving nursing staff from nine public hospitals in four departments of the country. The "Nursing Work Index - Extended Organization" (NWI-EO), the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), and the "Short Form Survey" (SF-12) were used to measure quality of work life, work-private life balance, and off-work quality of life, respectively.
Results: The study population consisted of 454 nurses (64.9%) and 246 nursing assistants (35.1%), with a majority being females (83.6%) and an average age of 39.2 years±8.1. Most worked on a two 12-hour shift schedule (2x12), 73.9% had a continuous working rhythm, and in 81.6% of cases, the rotation was short. The main factors detrimental to the quality of work life were understaffing, poor colleague relationships, absence of leaves, and inadequate communication (p<0.05). Alternating shift work affected private life, especially in the case of an 8-hour shift pattern (3x8). However, the overall prevalence of poor quality of life was 4.1%, with no correlation with the working rhythm (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The negative effects of shift work on the quality of life of nursing staff necessitate the introduction of preventive measures to improve patient care quality.
Keywords: Shift work, nursing staff, quality of life, Congo-Brazzaville