"Examining Shift Length and Fatigue: A National Study of Neonatal Advan" by Meredith L Farmer, Jacqueline Hoffman et al.
 

Examining Shift Length and Fatigue: A National Study of Neonatal Advanced Practice Providers

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2025

Publication Title

Advances in neonatal care

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Neonatal advanced practice providers (APPs) often work prolonged hours in high-acuity neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). It is imperative to understand how fatigue affects the APP's ability to react quickly following long shifts. There is a lack of data on the effects of shift length and fatigue on neonatal APP job performance and clinical decision-making.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the variation in shift length, knowledge-based competency, personal well-being, and behavioral alertness for neonatal APPs.

METHODS: This study evaluated neonatal APPs before and after a clinical shift. Provider well-being was assessed during the pre-survey. Pretest-posttest surveys evaluated neonatal APP's psychomotor vigilance skills and knowledge. Participants completed an online, anonymous questionnaire to answer a series of knowledge-based questions before and after their shift, along with a psychomotor vigilance test (PVT). A paired t test analysis evaluated the pre- and post-shift PVT values and knowledge-based test scores.

RESULTS: Overall, 61 pre-surveys and 42 post-surveys were completed; 36 were matched by participants pre- to post-survey. The mean between pre- and post-knowledge-based questions was statistically significant, with higher posttest scores. There was no statistical difference noted in the paired t test analysis of the PVT values.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH: The small sample size may limit the generalizability of findings, but these results may indicate that shift length does not affect psychomotor vigilance or knowledge-based competency. It is vital that future work assess the associations between APP shift length, fatigue, and critical decision-making.

Medical Subject Headings

Humans; Fatigue; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Female; Surveys and Questionnaires; Male; Clinical Competence; Infant, Newborn; Adult; Shift Work Schedule; Work Schedule Tolerance; Psychomotor Performance; Clinical Decision-Making

PubMed ID

39724563

ePublication

ePub ahead of print

Volume

25

Issue

1

First Page

70

Last Page

76

Find It @ Sladen

Share

COinS