Influence of shift work on the physical work capacity of Tunisian nurses: a cross-sectional study in two university hospitals

INTRODUCTION: This study has been performed to determine the influence of rotating shift work on physical working capacity of Tunisian nurses and to design recommendations to managers so that they implement effective preventive measures. METHODS: It is a cross-sectional design using a standardized questionnaire and many physical capacity tests on a representative sample of 1181 nurses and nursing assistants from two university hospital centers of the school of Medicine of Monastir located in the Tunisian Sahel. 293 participants have been recruited by stratified random sampling according to gender and departments. Maximum Grip strength, 30s sit-to-stand test, one leg test, Fingertip-to-Floor test, Saltsa test and peak expiratory flow were used to assess physical capacity. Work ability was assessed through the workability index. RESULTS: Mental and physical loads were heavily perceived in shift healthcare workers (p=0.01; p=0.02). The maximum grip force was stronger in rotating shift work nurses (p=0.0001). Regarding to the seniority subgroups in each kind of work schedule, the Body Mass Index was increasing with seniority in both schedules. All the physical tests, were better in less-than-ten-year groups. Peak Flow and grip strength were significantly better in less-than-ten-year seniority in shift work group. CONCLUSION: There is a need to improve the design of the existing shift systems and to reduce as much as possible shift schedule as well as to avoid shift schedule for over-10-year-seniority nurses.