Understanding the impact of the physical health care environment on nurse fatigue.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors in the physical health care environment (PHE) contributing to nurse fatigue. Nurses experience high levels of physical, mental and overall fatigue related to the physically demanding and mentally complex nature of bedside care. This study used secondary data analysis of a 2017 focus group session, which explored: (a) challenges nursing professionals face while delivering care, (b) the effect of nurse fatigue on care delivery and (c) system factors that can either reduce or contribute to nurse fatigue. Eleven volunteers from a health care design focused nursing organisation participated in the focus group. Twenty-seven design elements across four environmental categories were identified in this study as impacting fatigue. The effects of fatigue were found to have implications at the individual level (nurse and patient), the organisational level and the profession at large. Fatigue effects were found to be cumulative. Findings suggest that the PHE can have a substantial impact on nurse fatigue and contribute to profound effects with patient and staff safety implications. This study provides nursing managers, hospital administrators, nurses and designers with evidence for utilizing the PHE to mitigate and prevent nurse fatigue.