Health and safety risks affecting part-time nursing students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Occupational Health and Safety

Background:

• Part-time postgraduate study offers nurses career advancement but presents challenges.
• Balancing work, family, and academic responsibilities is demanding for nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the health and safety risks encountered by nurses pursuing part-time postgraduate studies.
• To identify specific risks associated with the dual role of working and studying.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory, quantitative study was conducted at a South African university.
• Data were gathered using self-administered questionnaires on demographics and health/safety aspects.
• Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis using SPSS version 26.

Main Results:

• High prevalence of fatigue (49%), stress (54%), and poor eating habits (70%) among nurses.
• Significant rates of sleep disorders (34%) and caffeine abuse (52%) were reported.
• Nurses also faced increased risk of road accidents (31%).

Conclusions:

• Nurses in part-time study programs require substantial support from employers and families.
• Implementing study leave policies by employers is crucial for supporting these nurses.