Arrange of Shift Schedule and Work Stress in Taiwan Nurses

Abstract

ISEE-0367 Background: Shared governance in job arrangement of nurses is related to job satisfaction. Hence, we examined the associations of rotation schedule and autonomy in arranging rotation schedule with work stress among nurses in Taiwan. Methods: The study recruited 458 female nurses working in shift-time schedule in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. In 2006, they answered a structured questionnaire, which included demographic characteristics, shift-work schedule, and work stress defined by the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model, in which the score of overcommitment ≥17 point is considered as high overcommitment and effort-reward ratio >1 as effort-reward imbalance. Results: Among these nurses, 51.0% were of high overcommitment and 38.6% were of effort-reward imbalance. Duration of night shift (<7, 7–14 and >14 night shift) in past two months is not related with overcommitment and effort reward imbalance. Prevalences of high overcommitment were 52.1%, 46.6% and 55.5% respectively, and of effort reward imbalance were 36.9%, 37.4%, and 45.3%. Percentages of high overcommitment and effort-reward imbalance were 64.2% and 65.0% in low/no satisfaction of rotation time group while only 27.3% and 24.2% in high satisfaction of rotation time group. Percentages of high overcommitment (61.9%) or effort-reward ratio >1 (62.4%) were highest in the non-autonomy of schedule arrangement group, and only 34.8% and 18.2% in high autonomy of schedule arrangement group. Adjusted for other confounders, the lower/no satisfaction and non-autonomy were significantly associated with overcommitment and effort-reward imbalance. The OR of low/no satisfaction for overcommitment and effort-reward imbalance were 5.28 (95%CI: 2.65∼10.9), 6.42 (95%CI: 3.1∼14.0) and the OR of non autonomy of schedule arrangement were 7.63 (95%CI: 2.51∼28.8), respectively. Conclusion: In this study, we found that increased satisfaction and autonomy of rotation schedule arrangement are associated with lower job stress. This suggests that shared governance in shift schedule arrangement may improve job stress.