On-call work and sleep quality amongst Radiographers registered in Ireland

Most radiographers in Ireland take part in an 'on-call' system, which includes working at night and out-of-hours to meet service demands. Night working and undertaking overtime are associated with lower sleep quality and reduced wellbeing among healthcare workers. However, a gap exists in the literature regarding the effects on radiographers. This study aimed to establish whether there is an association between the number of on-call shifts worked and participants' overall perception of sleep quality.

A validated questionnaire was adapted and shared via social media platforms. Section one included demographic information, including the number of years clinically practising and the number of on-call shifts worked per month. Section two contained questions regarding participants' perception of their sleep quality, and section three sought responses on quality-of-life measures. Correlations in the data were analysed using the Chi-Square test for independence.

A total of 95 participants completed the study; 27(29%) radiographers reported experiencing insufficient sleep over the last month, greater than reports of insufficient sleep of the general population (14.2%). The Chi-Square test revealed a statistically significant correlation between the number of on-call shifts and the perception of sleep quality (X², 12, n = 95, p = 0.04).

A negative association exists between the amount of on-call work and perceived sleep quality. Radiographers working one or more on-call shifts per week report insufficient sleep more often. On-call patterns should be a consideration for managers and policymakers when setting out staffing rosters and introducing guidelines indicating the maximum number of on-call shifts a radiographer may undertake per month. This work may provide a springboard for policymakers, managers and professional bodies to consider the optimal working pattern and compensatory rest considerations for radiographers to ensure adequate workforce provision, recruitment to the profession and retention of existing staff and avoid undesirable economic implications.