Abstract
BACKGROUND: Shift work is an integral part of life for most of the working population. Reaction time determines the alertness, so it may vary during shift work among different professionals. AIMS: To compare the auditory reaction time (ART) and visual reaction time (VRT) in security guards, staff nurses and resident doctors during shift work and also between these professionals. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Comparative prospective experimental study in a tertiary care teaching hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ART and VRT were studied in 104 security Guards, 142 staff nurses and 40 resident doctors during day and night shift in the age group of 20 to 60 years with research reaction timer. Subjects were presented with two auditory and two visual stimuli. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Standard error of difference between two means, 'z' test. RESULTS: ART (214.49 ± 52.50) and VRT (223.16 ± 33.29) in Security guards were less than ART (233.93 ± 45.05) and VRT (239.02 ± 29.92) in nurses during day shift and was significant. ART (219.31 ± 53.73) and VRT (229.01 ± 34.69) in security guards were less than ART (237.64 ± 44.32) and VRT (240.92 ± 31.96) in nurses during night shift and was significant. ART (218.44 ± 29.34) and VRT (227.18 ± 20.41) during day shift and ART (221.67 ± 29.08) and VRT (229.39 ± 21.96) during night shift in resident doctors, were significant on comparison with staff nurses during day and night shift, but not significant between security guards and resident doctors. In all three professionals, ART and VRT were not significant between day and night shift. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that ART and VRT in nurses were greater than security guards and resident doctors during day and night shift, and the difference was found statistically significant. It means that different professions have impact on determining reaction time. Reaction time is more during night shift as compared to day shift but the difference were not significant.
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