Sono, estresse e comportamentos compensatórios por enfermeiras e parteiras australianas

OBJECTIVE: To describe sleep, stress and compensatory behaviors in nurses and midwives. METHODS: The study included 41 midwives and 21 nurses working in Australian hospitals between 2005 and 2009. Participation was voluntary. All participants recorded on a daily basis their work and sleep hours, levels of stress and exhaustion, caffeine intake and use of sleep aids for a month (1,736 days, 1,002 work shifts). RESULTS: Participants reported moderate to high levels of stress and exhaustion on 20-40% of work days; experienced sleep disruption on more than 50% of work days; struggled to remain awake on 27% of work days; and suffered extreme drowsiness or experienced a near accident while travelling home on 9% of workdays. Age, perceived sleep duration and work hours were significant predictors of caffeine intake. About 60% of participants reported using sleep aids (about 20% reported taking prescription medications and 44% of nurses and 9% of midwives reported alcohol use as a sleep aid at least once during the study). Stress and workdays were significant predictors of sedative use. Overall, 22% reported being indifferent or mildly dissatisfied with their job. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep problems, high levels of stress and exhaustion and low job satisfaction are prevalent among nurses and midwives. The use of alcohol and sleeping pills as sleep aids, and the use of caffeine to help maintain alertness is also common. Nurses and midwives may use caffeine to compensate for reduced sleep, especially on workdays, and sleeping pills to cope with their daily work-related stress.OBJETIVO: Describir sueño, estrés y comportamientos compensatorios en enfermeras y parteras. MÉTODOS: El estudio incluyó 41 enfermeras 21 parteras en hospitales australianos de 2005 a 2009. La participación fue voluntaria. Los participantes registraron diariamente las horas de trabajo, sueño, estrés y niveles de agotamiento, cafeína y uso de ayuda para dormir durante un mes (1.736 días, 1.002 turnos). RESULTADOS: Los participantes relataron de moderados a elevados niveles de estrés y de agotamiento en 20%-40% de los días de trabajo; experimentaron disturbios del sueño en más de 50% de los días de trabajo; relataron esfuerzo para permanecer despierto en 27% de los días de trabajo; y sofrieron somnolencia extrema o accidente cerca de casa en 9% de los días de trabajo. Edad, duración del sueño percibido y jornadas fueron predictores significativos de la ingestión de cafeína. Aproximadamente 60% de los participantes relataron utilizar la ayuda para dormir: cerca de 20% usaron de medicación prescripta y 44% de las enfermeras y 9% de las parteras consumirán alcohol como auxilio para dormir al menos una vez durante el estudio. Estrés y días de trabajo fueron predictores significativos del uso de sedativos. En general, 22% relataron ser indiferente, o ligeramente insatisfecho con su trabajo. CONCLUSIONES: Problemas en el sueño, estrés y agotamiento elevados y disminución en la satisfacción en el trabajo son prevalecientes. Uso de alcohol y de medicamentos para dormir, y consumo de cafeína para mantenerse alerta también es común. Enfermeras y parteras pueden usar la cafeína para compensar la reducción del sueño, especialmente en días de trabajo, y usar somníferos para compensar el estrés diario.OBJETIVO: Descrever sono, estresse e comportamentos compensatórios em enfermeiras e parteiras. MÉTODOS: O estudo incluiu 41 enfermeiras 21 parteiras em hospitais australianos de 2005 a 2009. A participação foi voluntária. Os participantes registraram diariamente as horas de trabalho, sono, stress e níveis de exaustão, cafeína e uso de ajuda para dormir durante um mês (1.736 dias, 1.002 turnos). RESULTADOS: Os participantes relataram de moderados a elevados níveis de stress e de exaustão em 20%-40% dos dias de trabalho; experimentaram distúrbios do sono em mais de 50% dos dias de trabalho; relataram esforço para permanecer acordado em 27% dos dias de trabalho; e sofreram sonolência extrema ou acidente perto de casa em 9% dos dias de trabalho. Idade, duração do sono percebida e jornadas foram preditores significativos da ingestão de cafeína. Aproximadamente 60% dos participantes relataram utilizar a ajuda para dormir: cerca de 20% relataram uso de medicação prescrita e 44% das enfermeiras e 9% das parteiras consumiam álcool como auxílio para dormir pelo menos uma vez durante o estudo. Estresse e dias de trabalho foram preditores significativos do uso de sedativos. Em geral, 22% relataram ser indiferente, ou ligeiramente insatisfeito com seu trabalho. CONCLUSÕES: Problemas no sono, estresse e exaustão elevados e diminuição na satisfação no trabalho são prevalentes. São comuns o uso de álcool e de medicamentos para dormir, e consumo de cafeína para se manter alerta. Enfermeiras e parteiras parecem usar a cafeína para compensar a redução do sono, especialmente em dias de trabalho, e usar soníferos para compensar o estresse diário

Sleep, stress and compensatory behaviors in Australian nurses and midwives

OBJECTIVE: To describe sleep, stress and compensatory behaviors in nurses and midwives. METHODS: The study included 41 midwives and 21 nurses working in Australian hospitals between 2005 and 2009. Participation was voluntary. All participants recorded on a daily basis their work and sleep hours, levels of stress and exhaustion, caffeine intake and use of sleep aids for a month (1,736 days, 1,002 work shifts). RESULTS: Participants reported moderate to high levels of stress and exhaustion on 20-40% of work days; experienced sleep disruption on more than 50% of work days; struggled to remain awake on 27% of work days; and suffered extreme drowsiness or experienced a near accident while travelling home on 9% of workdays. Age, perceived sleep duration and work hours were significant predictors of caffeine intake. About 60% of participants reported using sleep aids (about 20% reported taking prescription medications and 44% of nurses and 9% of midwives reported alcohol use as a sleep aid at least once during the study). Stress and workdays were significant predictors of sedative use. Overall, 22% reported being indifferent or mildly dissatisfied with their job. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep problems, high levels of stress and exhaustion and low job satisfaction are prevalent among nurses and midwives. The use of alcohol and sleeping pills as sleep aids, and the use of caffeine to help maintain alertness is also common. Nurses and midwives may use caffeine to compensate for reduced sleep, especially on workdays, and sleeping pills to cope with their daily work-related stress

Improving the professional support for parents of young infants

The objective of this study was to discuss ideas for improving child health services on the basis of findings of an observational study that was designed to explore the role of child health nurses in supporting parents during the first 6 months following the birth of an infant. As part of a larger study in a child health service in urban Australia, surveys were used to collect data from two independent samples of both parents and nurses at an 8-month interval. Data were condensed using factor analysis; regression analyses were used to determine which aspects of care were most important for the parents, and importance–performance analysis was used to determine which aspects of care needed improvement. While the majority of parents valued support from child health nurses, a need for improvement was identified in empowering parents to make their own decisions, discussing emotional issues with parents, providing continuity of care and giving consistent advice. Organisations should value and provide support for child health nurses in their invisible, non-quantifiable work of supporting families. The structure of child health services should also provide child health nurses continuity of care with the families they support. </jats:p

Exploring routine hospital antenatal care consultations — An ethnographic study

BackgroundListening to women as part of their antenatal care has been recognized as valuable in understanding the woman’s needs. Conversations as part of routine antenatal interactions offer ideal opportunities for women to express themselves and for midwives to learn about the woman’s issues and concerns. The antenatal visit and the convention of antenatal consultations for midwives have not been well explored or defined and much of what takes place replicate medical consultative processes. As a consequence, there is little to assist midwives construct woman-centred care consultations for their routine antenatal care practice. This study showed how some practices were better in promoting the woman’s voice and woman-centred care in the hospital setting.MethodContemporary focused ethnography using both interview and observations, explored how midwives from six different public antenatal clinics in South Australia organized their antenatal care consultations with pregnant women.FindingsThematic analysis of the data provided insights into professional interpretation of woman-centred practice. How midwives interacted with women during routine antenatal care events demonstrated that some practices in a hospital setting could either support or undermine a woman-centred philosophy.ConclusionIndividual midwives adopted practices according to their own perceptions of actions and behaviors that were considered to be in accordance with the philosophy of woman-centred care. Information arising from this study has shown ways midwives may arrange antenatal care consultations to maximize women’s participation

‘Coming ready or not!’ Preparing parents for parenthood

The transition to parenthood is a major life event and may be one of the most acute changes experienced during a person's life. Nevertheless, many parents find themselves unprepared for their parenting role. It has been found that a positive experience throughout the period of transition to parenthood contributes to the parent's confidence and ability to master new roles, highlighting the need to develop innovative strategies which support parents through the transitional period. This article introduces one such strategy, a postnatal planner entitled ‘Coming ready or not!’ developed from an action research study designed to develop, implement, and evaluate strategies to improve postnatal education for parents. Using the antenatal period to address postnatal concerns must be considered. </jats:p