NIOSH Training for Nurses on Shift Work and Long Work Hours

Objectives (Continued)

Coping strategies can be used to reduce these risks, including improving sleep and circadian rhythms and reducing strains on family and social life (see Figure 2.1). These improvements should reduce the negative effects to workers and their families, employers, and community.

Some nurses may believe that because of their own personal circumstances (being a single parent, for instance), some of the strategies proposed in this training are not applicable to them. However, as they learn more about fatigue, they may recognize that several strategies can work for them and improve the quality of their lives.

Figure 2.1. Coping strategies focus on improving the immediate effects of fatigue.