Occupational Stress Research Articles

Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Support on the Effect of Occupational Stress Management Practices on Employee Engagement amongst Law Enforcement Officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Excessive stress that law enforcement officers are exposed to not only threatens their physical and mental health but also affects professionalism, organisational effectiveness, and public safety. This invokes the need for the adoption or strengthening of occupational stress management practices amongst law enforcement officers to abate the consequences of operational and occupational stressors they are exposed to for the purposes of their engagement. However, there is still a limited understanding of how occupational stress management practices and perceived organisational support may work together to effect employee engagement based on social exchange theory and job demands-resource theory. In this regard, the study adopted a correlational research design. The target population consisted of 620 law enforcement officers from 34 police posts and stations in Uasin Gishu County, with a sample size of 248 officers calculated using Krejcie and Morgan Table 1970. The study adopted simple and stratified sampling techniques to identify the officers from the top, middle, and lower levels of management. Data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. Reliability was ensured through internal consistency techniques. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of moderated regressions revealed that occupational stress management practices jointly and independently influenced employee engagement among law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Safety and health programmes jointly explained 70.7% of the of the variation in engagement amongst law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, without a moderator. However, with a moderator, the variables jointly explained 73.5% (R2 = 0.735) of the of the variation in employee engagement amongst law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya (F = 62.364; ρ <.05). Therefore, there is a significant moderating role of perceived organisational support in the relationship between occupational stress management practices and employee engagement amongst law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. These findings are premised on both social exchange theory and job demand resource theory. This implies that when the management of law enforcement officers embraces occupational stress management practices and proactively formulates policies ingrained with perceived organisational support, employee engagement amongst law enforcement officers in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, will improve. In the strategic orientation of these occupational stress management practices, perceived organisational support remains the cornerstone for enhancing employee engagement amongst law enforcement officers.

Impact of Health Behavior on Work-related Stress on Teachers in Chinese Colleges

Objectives: This study aims to assess the influence of health behaviour on the psychological well- being, work stress, and emotional stability of college teachers in China. The study examines the impact of teachers' psychological well-being and emotional strength on their work-related stress. The study aims to fill the existing gaps in the current corpus of knowledge. Methods: To fulfil this objective, the data for this study was gathered from 876 teachers associated with 57 colleges in Mainland China. The confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling are assessed using the RStudio software with the lavaan package. Results: Findings show that health behaviour is a good predictor of psychological well-being, occupational stress, and emotional stability among college teachers in China. It has also been discovered that psychological well-being and emotional stability do not directly influence the job stress experienced by teachers. However, they do play a mediating role in the relationship between work stress and health behaviour. Conclusion: The research makes a significant theoretical contribution by establishing linkages that have not been previously identified in the existing body of knowledge. Essentially, this research suggests that enhancing the health behaviour of teachers can lead to improvements in their emotional stability, psychological wellness, and reduction of job stress. The research findings have significant implications for governmental initiatives aimed at enhancing teachers' effectiveness.

In Pursuit of Emotional Stability: Exploring the Role of PsyCap and Its Correlates among Health Care Workers during Covid-19 Pandemic

Background: A novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic broke out, which ultimately spread over the world and affected public health. Global growth has been impeded, societal instability has been brought about, and overall mental health has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care workers, especially nurses, experienced an extensive amount of occupational stress, emotional discomfort and instability during this period. One of the positive factors that enable people to overcome psychological discomfort and hardship and enhance perseverance in their field of work is psychological capital (PsyCap). It is described as the positive and progressive state of the person, defined by HERO as a high degree of hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism. Aim & Objectives: This study aims to identify the relationship of Psychological capital with Coping and Positive & negative affect. And further, it aims to find the differences in male and female health care workers on the basis of these variables during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A correlational study was designed using purposive sampling to obtain a sample of healthcare workers in various hospitals in Kerala. The participants of age range 20 to 45 were selected for this study. After gaining the informed consent, all the scale including psychological capital questionnaire (PCQ-24), Brief Cope and positive affect and negative affect schedule (PANAS) were used in the present study. Obtained data had been statistically computed by using SPSS version 22. Result: Result suggested that Psychological capital is significantly positively correlated with coping, positive affect dimension of PANAS and negatively correlated with negative affect which is dimension of PANAS. Further it revealed that there is no significant difference between male and female health care workers with respect to these variables namely psychological capital, brief coping, positive affect and negative affect. Conclusion: This study paints a clear picture of the importance of psychological elements like positive affect, coping, and PsyCap in the lives of healthcare workers (HCWs) in order to improve their emotional stability, perseverance, and commitment to their jobs.

Evaluation of psychological occupational health constraints according to the Karasek model among female sewing machine operators in Tunisia

Evaluation of psychological occupational health constraints according to the Karasek model among female sewing machine operators in Tunisia

Are robots stealing our jobs? Examining robot-phobia as a job stressor in the hospitality workplace

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore robot-phobia as a source of occupational stress among hospitality employees in the context of increasing robotization in the industry. Design/methodology/approach The study sampled 321 lodging employees and 308 food service employees in the USA. An online panel company recruited the participants and administered an online survey. The study used various analytical methods, including structural modeling, t-tests and multi-group analyses. Findings The study results reveal that hospitality workers experience robot-phobia regardless of their sector or position. Robot-phobia causes job insecurity and stress, which increases turnover intention. These negative outcomes are more pronounced for those who interact more frequently with robots. Practical implications The study findings suggest that hospitality workers fear being replaced by robots in the near future. Therefore, hospitality organizations should offer adequate training and education on the advantages and drawbacks of robots and establish a supportive and collaborative work environment that values human–robot interaction. Originality/value This study offers new insights regarding human–robot interaction from the employee perspective by introducing the concept of robot-phobia in the hospitality workplace. A comprehensive picture of how hospitality employees confront the increasing presence of robots is provided in this study.

Investigation of occupational stress among radiologic technologists in Saudi Arabia using HSE stress indicator tool

BackgroundThe increasing concern about occupational stress and its effects on radiologic technologists (RTs) has been noted, as it can lead to decreased productivity and compromised healthcare quality. This study aimed to evaluate occupational stress and pinpoint the primary indicators of organizational psychosocial hazard exposures among RTs working in hospitals under the Saudi Ministry of Health. The Health and Safety Executive Indicator Tools (HSE-IT) for occupational stress were utilized for this assessment. MethodsThe study employed a cross-sectional online survey that utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative method was based on the HSE-IT, which focuses on six HSE Management Standards that represent potential stress hazards, namely: demands, control, support, relationships, roles, and change. The qualitative method, on the other hand, was based on narrative comments that shed light on the most common sources of occupational pressure and suggestions on how to alleviate this pressure in the radiology department. ResultsA total of 864 responses were collected from RTs in Saudi Arabia. This study revealed that urgent action was needed for demand, managers’ support, workplace relationship, and organizational roles, while assessment of control and organizational change standards were indicated as a “clear need for improvement” and “good, but in need of improvement”, respectively. This study identified particular areas of concern such as workload, shortage of staff, lack of control, feedback, social support, personal harassment, job description, and consultation of staff with changes in their work environment. The relationship between the sociodemographic data and the overall stress results revealed statistically significant differences related to gender (P = 0.020), living place, and working night shifts (P = 0.003). ConclusionThe study found that the risks of occupational stress for RTs are substantial and are not being appropriately addressed. The need for awareness to manage occupational stress is warranted, and therefore, this study presented recommendations for reducing the risks associated with occupational stress.

Cardiac Coherence and the Effectiveness of Cardiovascular Biofeedback in the Nursing Team: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Through guided and conscious deep breathing, cardiovascular biofeedback, an innovative technological tool that enables improved cardiac coherence and activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which are vital for recovering and maintaining homeostasis and psycho-emotional health. Objective: To verify the effect of cardiovascular biofeedback on heart rate variability parameters in nursing professionals. Materials and Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial conducted in two groups — biofeedback and placebo — with 115 nursing professionals working in clinical and surgical inpatient units at a university hospital, who presented an overall stress level higher than 1, according to the Stress Symptom Scale. The groups participated in nine appointments over three weeks. The outcome was assessed by rMSSD parameters and cardiac coherence at the end of each appointment, which were measured using EmWave Pro Plus®, which uses photoplethysmography to quantify physiological data related to the heartbeat. The analysis was performed using generalized estimation equations, considering α = 5 %. Results: There was a significant time-group interaction in cardiac coherence parameters; the intervention group presented an increase in the mean cardiac coherence parameters at all measurement times, when compared to the control group (p < 0.001; r > 0.98). There was no significant time-group interaction in the rMSSD parameters at any of the measurement times (p = 0.432). As a mind-body therapy, cardiovascular biofeedback proved to be useful and promising. By promoting parasympathetic activation and relaxation, it is possible to prevent the deleterious effects associated with occupational stressors. Conclusion: The intervention with cardiovascular biofeedback proved to be superior to placebo in improving cardiac coherence, resulting in the recovery of the body’s homeostasis.

THE IMPACT OF BURNOUT SYNDROME IN MEDICINE

Burnout syndrome is an increasingly prevalent mental health problem in medicine, characterized by physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and stressful work. This study aims to review the impact of burnout syndrome in medicine, highlighting its causes, symptoms and consequences for the health of professionals. This study aims to analyze the impact of burnout syndrome on the mental health of medical professionals, identifying its main causes, symptoms and consequences. In addition, it seeks to present strategies for preventing and managing this syndrome, with a view to promoting the health and well-being of doctors, highlighting the importance of the mental health of health professionals and discussing measures to promote a healthier and more balanced working environment. This is a bibliographical review, using qualitative premises, with the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Scielo databases. To better refine the research, the health descriptors “Burnout Syndrome”, “Health Professionals”, “Occupational Stress” and “Mental Health” were used. Burnout syndrome in medicine can be triggered by various factors, including excessive workload, lack of emotional support, pressure for results and long working hours. Symptoms include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and decreased professional fulfillment. The impact of burnout syndrome in medicine is significant, affecting not only the mental health of professionals, but also the quality of care provided to patients. Doctors with burnout are more likely to make medical mistakes, suffer from physical and mental health problems and have lower job satisfaction. Therefore, in order to prevent and manage burnout syndrome, it is important for medical professionals to adopt self-care strategies, such as practicing regular physical activity, setting healthy work limits and seeking emotional support when necessary. In addition, health institutions should promote an organizational culture that values the well-being of professionals and offers adequate support to prevent and treat burnout syndrome. It can therefore be concluded that burnout syndrome is a serious problem in medicine, with significant impacts on the health and well-being of professionals. It is essential that doctors are aware of the signs of this syndrome and adopt measures to prevent and manage its effects. In addition, healthcare institutions should implement policies and practices that promote a healthy and supportive work environment for their professionals.

Occupational Stress and Administrators’ Levels of Job Satisfaction in the University of Education, Winneba

The research assessed the effect of occupational stress on administrators’ levels of job satisfaction in the University of Education, Winneba (UEW). The study investigated the sources of occupational stress, job satisfaction determinants, and the effects of occupational stress on administrators' health, all of which were based on the demand control theory. The quantitative approach and descriptive survey design were used. The study randomly selected 110 participants from a population of 147 administrators at the University of Education, Winneba, using the sample size determination table. Data were collected from respondents using structured questionnaires, which were then processed with and coded IBM SPSS version 20. The data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation and regression. The study discovered that lack of promotion and resources, favouritism, inadequate staff, work obligations, red tape, immoderate administrative responsibilities, and occupational health issues were the major factors that account for occupational stress among staff. A weak and negative relationship was discovered between occupational stress and job satisfaction of staff. Thus, the study concluded that high levels of occupational stress resulted in lower job satisfaction. In order to improve job satisfaction levels of administrators at UEW, the study recommended that management should implement innovative measures such as flexible working hours, enhanced promotion based on merit, resource availability to facilitate work and remote working aimed at lowering the factors that contribute to occupational stress. Also, the University Health Directorate should occasionally run health screening to addressed health related issues among staff who are at risk.

Burnout and Quality of Work Life among Physicians during Internships in Public Hospitals in Thailand.

Physicians are exposed to occupational stress and burnout, which have been identified as contributing to a decrease in the quality of work life (QWL). Thailand's medical education program, consisting of a six-year curriculum with government tuition support followed by three years of internships, provides the context for this investigation. This study aimed to assess the QWL among intern physicians (IPs) in public hospitals and investigated the association between burnout and QWL. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 241 IPs in public hospitals in Thailand utilizing an online self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included a Thai version of a 25-item QWL scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel. Data analysis was performed using multivariable logistic regression. A significant proportion of IPs experienced low to moderate QWL (72.6%), with low levels of home-work interface (39.4%) and employee engagement (38.6%). In the exploratory model, after adjusting for sex and age, IPs with high depersonalization and low personal accomplishment demonstrated an association with low QWL (adjusted OR, aOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.01 to 4.31; aOR 2.74, 95% CI 1.40 to 5.39). Healthcare organizations should regularly assess intern physicians' QWL and burnout, prioritizing interventions; ensure reasonable work hours, schedule adjustments, and open communication; and develop support systems for cost-effective interventions. Further research on the dynamic relationship between burnout and QWL is crucial for targeted and culturally sensitive interventions.

OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND SELF- EFFICACY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS IN TAGUM CITY

This study focused primarily on the occupational stress and self-efficacy experienced by early childhood teachers, with a specific focus on Tagum City. A cohort of 100 early childhood educators participated in this research. Employing a descriptive-correlational methodology, the study aimed to assess the levels of occupational stress and self-efficacy among teachers and to uncover any significant associations between these variables. The findings revealed a moderate level of stress, with specific stressors including working conditions, curricular activities, and classroom management. However, teachers demonstrate high levels of self-efficacy, indicating a strong belief in their teaching abilities. The findings also highlighted a significant relationship between the self-efficacy and occupational stress of early childhood teachers in Tagum City, as evidenced by an R-value of 0.021. These results highlighted the importance of addressing stressors and promoting self-efficacy among educators to improve their well-being and effectiveness in the classroom. Future research and interventions should focus on supporting teachers in managing stress and enhancing self-efficacy to benefit the educational landscape. KEYWORDS: Occupational Stress, Self-efficacy; Early Childhood Teachers, Descriptive-correlational, Philippines

The voice of the second-level regulated nursing role: a qualitative approach

Background With an international nursing shortage, there is a need to navigate towards an improved nursing workforce structure where each nursing role is valued and recognised for the work they contribute. The second-level regulated nursing role is seen as integral; however, there is role confusion, especially with the registered nurse, and high attrition. To implement strategies to retain an integral nursing workforce, there is a need to better understand the role from the experiences and expectations of the second-level regulated nursing role. Aim To gain a better understanding of the second-level regulated nursing role in the Australian nursing workforce. Design Qualitative descriptive study from a larger mixed methods study. Method Five focus groups in 2018. The findings were analysed through the lens of organisational behaviour. Results The findings identified that enrolled nurses’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivators influenced levels of job satisfaction and sense of feeling valued. The findings also identified key determinants that influence job satisfaction and occupational stress: enrolled nurses’ understanding of their role and scope of practice; the registered nurses’ understanding of the enrolled nurses’ role and their role when working with the enrolled nurse; and the organisation’s understanding and recognition of their role. When these determinants align, there is job satisfaction, less occupational stress and enrolled nurses feel valued. At a professional level, the title does not reflect the role, and there are no career pathways. Conclusion This study explained why recurrent challenges impact the role and what contributes to those in the role feeling valued. Challenges that affect job satisfaction and occupational stress for the second-level (enrolled) nurse are related to the working environment and with whom the nurse works. From a professional level, there are limited career opportunities that recognise and retain the enrolled nurse in their role.

Spiritual Support Staff Influence Stress Among Hospital-Based Health Care Personnel: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Stress negatively affects well-being, relating to poor physical, emotional, and occupational outcomes for health care personnel. Health care professionals faced extreme stressors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, making occupational stress relief a top priority for hospital administrators. Many health systems employ specially trained spiritual support staff as one strategy to alleviate work-related stressors. It is unclear whether health care personnels' perceptions of the availability of spiritual care staff influence self-reported stress. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between perceived stress and perceptions of availability of spiritual support among acute care health care personnel. This study analyzed cross-sectional, survey-based data collected between February and April 2022 from 1352 interdisciplinary health care staff working in a large, nonprofit Catholic health system in the Western United States. Bivariate tests and multivariate linear regression models were conducted to test for factors influencing perceived stress. Results support that high stress was prevalent in the sample. Perceived availability of spiritual support staff in the hospital and seeking coworker and professional support for work-related stress all independently influence stress in this population when controlling for confounders. Stress of health care personnel may be influenced by the perceived availability of specially trained spiritual support staff. Hospital administrators should advocate for spiritual support staff availability in all health care settings as one strategy to mitigate occupational stress that health care professionals may experience through providing high-stakes patient care. Further research is warranted to uncover targeted spirituality-related strategies to reduce stress and preserve well-being of health care personnel.

The International Performance, Resilience and Efficiency Program Protocol for the Application of HRV Biofeedback in Applied Law Enforcement Settings

Law enforcement officers are routinely exposed to high-threat encounters that elicit physiological stress responses that impact health, performance, and safety. Therefore, self-regulation using evidence-based approaches is a priority in police research and practice. This paper describes a five-module heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) protocol that is part of a larger resilience program (the International Performance Resilience and Efficiency Program – iPREP) established in 2014. Supported by 10 years of user-informed research and development, our methods are tailored to address occupational stressors and the practical realities of training and resource availability in operational settings. Building on existing clinical methods that comprise five to six weekly sessions and up to 40-min of daily practice, our iPREP HRVB protocol is typically delivered in a condensed format across 2–3 days and is seamlessly integrated with reality-based training scenarios commonly employed in policing. By combining best practices in clinical HRVB with police-specific pedagogical frameworks, officers receive accelerated and job-relevant training to adaptively modulate autonomic responses to acute and chronic stress. Efficacy of the iPREP HRVB protocol is supported by several research studies of various methodological designs (i.e., randomized control trial, longitudinal cohort) that demonstrate immediate and sustained improvements in police performance and physiological health outcomes. We conclude with a critical appraisal of the available empirical evidence contrasting common and emerging breathing techniques proposed for use in operational policing contexts. The critical appraisal guide is intended to serve as a resource for law enforcement agencies, governing bodies, and operators when choosing appropriate and effective self-regulation training approaches.

Evaluation of an intervention package to reduce occupational stress among secondary school teachers: a cluster randomized study

Introduction: Prevalence of occupational stress (OS) among seconda ry teachers in the district of Colombo, Sri Lanka was found to be 83.4% in 2017, indicating the need for an intervention t o prevent its effects. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to reduc e OS among secondary teachers in Sinhala medium government schools in the district of Colombo Methods: A cluster randomized trial (SLCTR/2019/017) used cluster s of 10 secondary schools in Colombo District, which were assigned randomly to intervention and control arms; each ar m had 300 teachers. A package of nine-sessions of cognitive behavioural (CB) and relaxation technique-based activities designed through evidence generated in a systematic review was delivered as interactive group sessions over a period of si x months. Effectiveness of the intervention in reducing OS was assessed after four weeks using multivariate Generalized E stimating Equation analysis. Reducing psychological distress and adopting healthy lifestyles were assessed as secondary out comes of the intervention. Results: Intervention was significantly effective in reducing OS (OR=0.3; 95% CI=0.2, 0.5), psychological distress (OR=0.03; 95% CI=0.01, 0.07) and smoking (OR=0.09; 95% CI= 0.01, 0.7) among the teachers. It also significantly increased the knowledge about OS (OR=0.6; 95% CI=0.5, 0.7), hea lthiness of diet (OR=0.3; 95% CI=0.2, 0.4), level of adequate physical activity (OR=3.2; 95% CI=2.1, 4.9) and effecti ve coping of OS (OR=0.2; 95% CI=0.17, 0.3). The relative risk reduction (RRR) of OS with the intervention remained at 22.6%, the absolute risk reduction (ARR) was 19.4% and the number needed to treat (NNT) was five. Conclusions & Recommendations: The intervention package wa s highly effective to reduce OS among secondary teachers and is recommended to be incorporated to the basic training of teachers or implemented through the school health programme.

Effectiveness of Individual-Based Strategies to Reduce Nurse Burnout: An Umbrella Review

Aims. This umbrella review aims to comprehensively synthesize and analyze the findings of available systematic reviews on the effectiveness of individual-based strategies for reducing nurse burnout occurring in hospital-based settings. Methods. Following JBI guidelines, an umbrella review was conducted to integrate the effectiveness of various strategies to reduce burnout. Systematic reviews were searched in the Embase, MEDLINE (Ovid), Cochrane Library, CINAHL (EBSCO), Scopus, and WOS databases. Inclusion criteria included studies published in any language from database inception to April 2023. Eligibility assessment involved two independent reviewers who evaluated titles, abstracts, and full texts. The systematic reviews were critically evaluated using JBI SUMARI. The results were narratively synthesized and grouped by strategy. Results. Eleven systematic reviews were included, covering the years 2012 to 2021. The appraisal tools varied, though all included reviews were of high quality. The strategies were categorized into three domains: mental health (51%), physical activities (26%), and professional competence (13%). The interventions most identified were mindfulness-based stress reduction for mental health, yoga for physical activities, and professional competence education. These individual-based strategies were shown to effectively eliminate emotional exhaustion (72.7%), depersonalization (44%), and occupational stress (78%) among nurses in hospital-based settings. Conclusion. Mental health, physical activities, and professional competence are strategies to reduce nurse burnout. Implementing these approaches in healthcare settings can improve emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and occupational stress of nurses.

The influence of environmental factors on the job burnout of physical education teachers in tertiary education

This study takes environmental factors and individual factors as variables to explore the deep internal mechanism of the impact of a comprehensive environment on higher education physical education (PE) teachers’ job burnout. Little research has been done on how environmental factors affect the internal mechanism of college and university PE teachers’ job burnout through individual factors (e.g., professional pressure and teaching efficacy). In this study, the participants were 231 PE teachers from seven comprehensive universities, and four questionnaires were administered to measure the participants’ job burnout, perceived overall environment, teaching efficacy, and occupational stress. Research has found that environmental factors have a significant negative impact on occupational stress, and occupational stress plays an important mediating role between environment and occupational burnout. Research has shown that differences in external environments lead to varying levels of personal stress among college physical education teachers, which in turn affects their level of occupational burnout. The study concludes that a good social, working, and living environment helps to reduce the work pressure on PE teachers, improves their sense of teaching efficacy, and inhibits the occurrence of teachers’ job burnout.

0180 Crew Sleep During a 36-day Arctic Transit: Preliminary Results

Abstract Introduction Extreme environmental conditions (e.g., natural light conditions, time zone transitions), and specific operational conditions (e.g., ship motion due to ice breaking) combined with a variety of other occupational stressors (including shift work, psychological stress, and performing physically strenuous activities), poses unique challenges when conducting polar operations. The overarching aim of this project is to assess the unique challenges sailors experience when operating in polar regions in order to identify performance-limiting factors derived from operating an icebreaker in extreme latitudes. This abstract shows preliminary results of crewmember sleep. Methods A naturalistic longitudinal approach assessed 53 of the ship’s crewmembers (median age of 29yrs; 71.7% males; 66.0% enlisted) while performing their normal duties during a 36-day transit from Kodiak, AK (8/26/23) to Tromsø, Norway (1/10/23). Participants wore ŌURA rings and completed weekly questionnaires throughout the study. Mixed effects analysis was used to assess the effect of age, occupational group, time underway, and watchstanding status on variables of interest. Results are presented as mean◻standard deviation. Results Over the entire data collection period, participants’ sleep duration was 6.81◻0.57 hrs/day with 68.9% sleeping < 7 hrs/day and 8.89% sleeping < 6 hrs/day. All participants napped at least once; 68.1% napped at least once every 4 days. Self-report sleep regularity index (SRI; lower numbers translate to poorer sleep) was 73.1◻5.80 for watchstanders, 83.8◻6.19 for non-watchstanders, and 78.3◻5.16 for crewmembers with a hybrid work schedule. Age was associated with decreased heart rate variability (p=0.006), increased percentage of light sleep (p< 0.001), decreased percentage of deep sleep (p< 0.001), and increased percentage of REM sleep (p=0.021). Officers and watchstanders had a lower percentage of REM sleep compared to enlisted (p=0.030) and non-watchstanders (p=0.025) respectively. Also, over the course of the underway the percentage of light sleep increased and the percentage of deep sleep decreased. Specifically, compared to Week 1, Week 3 had a higher percentage of light sleep (p=0.027), and a lower percentage of deep sleep (p=0.019). Conclusion Results showed that Arctic operations can affect crew sleep. Crew members slept less than the daily recommended 7+ hr/day sleep duration. Their sleep was also related to age, watchstanding status, and time underway. Support (if any)

When Midwives Burn Out: Differences in the Experiences of Midwives in British Columbia and Alberta

Background: Internationally, continuity of care has been identified as a possible strategy to prevent burnout. The majority of midwives in British Columbia and Alberta practice within a continuity-based model of care, but British Columbia midwives have significantly higher burnout scores. Methods: We compared data from midwives from Alberta and British Columbia who responded to the Canadian arm of the WHELM (Work, Health, and Emotional Lives of Midwives) survey through invitations via their professional organizations. The survey included demographic questions, items about work patterns, occupational stressors, burnout, and intentions and reasons to leave the profession. Results: Workload was the most commonly reported stressor in both British Columbia and Alberta. Midwives in British Columbia were more likely (54%) to have seriously considered leaving the profession in the last 12 months than midwives in Alberta (26%). One-third of British Columbia midwives and no Alberta midwives cited poor pay as a reason to leave the profession. In answers to open-ended questions, 47% of respondents from British Columbia, but none from Alberta, highlighted poor pay as something that would need to change in order for them to successfully manage workplace stress. Discussion and Conclusion: Our comparison of similar midwifery contexts in Western Canada suggests burnout and intention to leave the profession are associated with how the care is remunerated. Midwives in British Columbia and Alberta care for a similar volume of clients and are paid with a similar type of payment system, but midwives in British Columbia are paid significantly less per course of care. A revised payment system or a significant increase in pay per client may ensure that midwives in British Columbia can continue to provide high-quality relationship-based care while maintaining longevity in the profession. This article has been peer reviewed.

Fatigue on the Beautiful Blue Ocean: the mediation effects of occupational stress and job performance in the job demands-resources theory

ABSTRACT Fatigue is a constant risk impacting the seafaring ability regardless of existing skills, knowledge or received training regarding safety in the shipping industry. A seafarer typically loses focus on personal duties when experiencing high fatigue levels, which results in unproductive distractions. The current study provided an overview of the factors contributing to seafarer fatigue while developing an alternative framework by applying the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory with occupational stress and job performance as the mediators. Purposive sampling was performed to recruit respondents, with a total of 250 valid responses collected via an online questionnaire. Subsequently, structural equation modelling was conducted via the SmartPLS software, which discovered that all direct and mediation hypotheses were supported. Hence, the findings could serve as a reference for seafarers and shipping companies to reflect on the present working practices based on job demands and resources. The results would not only be beneficial to academics but also could practically ensure the sustainability of the maritime industry.