Work- and nonwork-related factors associated with PACU nurses' fatigue

The purpose of this study was to describe postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurses' fatigue and link fatigue levels to work- and nonwork-related factors. The study design is a pilot study using a descriptive correlation design. Participants used a 4-week daily diary to record hours worked, breaks taken, and sleep patterns and completed the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery Scale (OFER). The sample included 20 experienced (17.3 ± 9.5 years) nurses. Only 4% reported no breaks during their shift. Median sleep time was 6 hours 40 minutes. OFER scores were acute fatigue (66.5 ± 19.3), intershift fatigue (52 ± 18.6), and chronic fatigue (35.7 ± 17.2). In conclusion, acute fatigue scores reflect the challenges of working in the PACU. Despite high acute fatigue scores, intershift fatigue scores reflected recovery and chronic fatigue scores were low. Fatigue reduction strategies may account for these results including processes to ensure breaks are taken, use of a flex shift nurse to prevent shift overruns, and reduction of the number of three consecutive 12-hour shifts.