Prevalence of Fatigue Among Nurses in Twin Cities

Abstract

Background: Healthcare Background: Fatigue, characterized by profound and enduring feeling of tiredness, weakness, or exhaustion, may encompass both mental and physical aspects. The nursing profession's multifaceted nature and complexity can lead to fatigue. Shift work, which constitutes about 5% of the global labor force, is crucial in many healthcare settings, ensuring continuity of care, akin to professions like the police and military. Nursing is psychologically and physically demanding, with performance often declining towards the end of shifts. For nurses working rotating shifts, long hours, and night shifts disrupting their circadian rhythms, fatigue becomes unavoidable, hindering optimal nursing activities.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of fatigue among nurses in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over one year in the twin cities of Pakistan. The sample size was calculated to be 377 using Epitool software, and a convenience sampling technique was employed. Inclusion criteria included nurses of both gender with at least one year of working experience. Exclusion criteria comprised of nurses diagnosed with heart diseases, diabetes, hypothyroidism, psychiatric illnesses (such as anxiety neurosis, schizophrenia, and endogenous depression), pregnant females, and those unwilling to participate. Data collection was carried out using a self-structured questionnaire to gather demographic information, working experience, and working units. The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) was used to assess fatigue levels. The results were presented in graphs and tables for visual interpretation and comparison. SPSS version 25 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data analysis.

Results: Out of 351 participants, 120 individuals (34.2%) were categorized as experiencing fatigue, while 231 participants (65.8%) were classified as non-fatigued. The mean weight of the participants was 63.06 kilograms (SD ± 11.67) and the mean height was 161.44 centimetres (SD ± 11.57). Among the participants, 168 (47.9%) were aged 20-30 years, 136 (38.7%) were aged 31-40 years, 37 (10.5%) were aged 41-50 years, and 10 (2.8%) were aged above 51 years. Gender distribution included 66 males (18.8%) and 285 females (81.2%). Marital status showed 223 participants (63.5%) were married and 128 (36.5%) were unmarried. Regarding qualifications, 280 (79.8%) were Registered Nurses (RN), 18 (5.1%) held a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), 52 (14.8%) were Post RN, and 1 (0.3%) held a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).

Conclusion: The findings indicate that fatigue is prevalent among nurses in the twin cities, with a higher prevalence observed among females compared to males. These results underscore the need for interventions to address fatigue, including optimizing shift schedules and providing mental health support to enhance nurse well-being and patient care quality.Pakistan.