The Association between Working Hours with Vigilance and Executive Function of Intensive Care Unit Nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Cognitive Psychology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Vigilance and executive functions are crucial for safe nursing practice.
• Long working hours in nursing are linked to increased fatigue and errors.
• The specific impact of work duration on ICU nurses' cognitive functions remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the duration of work shifts for ICU nurses and their vigilance and executive functioning.
• To identify potential cognitive decrements in ICU nurses related to extended working hours.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 51 ICU nurses working 12-hour shifts.
• Cognitive performance was assessed using E-prime software, measuring vigilance and executive functions at various points during the shift.
• Tasks included vigilance tests and executive function assessments like the Flanker and 2-back tasks.

Main Results:

• Vigilance lapses significantly increased after 8 and 12 hours of work.
• Executive functions, specifically inhibitory control (Flanker effect) and working memory (2-back task accuracy), were significantly impaired with longer working hours.
• No significant differences in vigilance response time or task-switching performance were found across working hours.

Conclusions:

• Working longer hours, particularly 12-hour shifts, negatively affects ICU nurses' vigilance and executive functions, including inhibitory control and working memory.
• These findings suggest that prolonged work duration contributes to cognitive load and potential performance deficits in critical care settings.
• Nursing management should consider shorter shifts or scheduled rest periods to mitigate fatigue and enhance cognitive function, thereby improving patient safety.