Health Challenges and Fatigue Among Female Night Shift Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study

To investigate fatigue and its related factors among female nurses working night shifts.

A cross-sectional comparative study.

This study was conducted using convenience sampling at a medical centre in central Taiwan from May to October 2023. A total of 230 female nurses working rotating night shifts were recruited, and 225 were included in the final analysis. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires, including the General Sleep Disturbance Scale, Lee Fatigue Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile-II Chinese Version Short Form and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Data were analysed using group comparisons, correlation analysis and hierarchical multiple linear regression.

Clinically significant fatigue was identified in 84.0% of participants, and 67.6% met the criterion for sleep disturbance. Sleepiness fluctuated across the night shift and was highest at 9:00 AM, with a secondary elevation at 5:00-6:00 AM. Although fatigue was more common among nurses assessed during the 3 days before menstruation and the first 4 days of menstruation, this group difference did not remain significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Sleep disturbance, depressive symptoms and perceived stress were independently associated with greater fatigue, and the final model explained 29.9% of the variance.

This study highlights the prevalence and cyclical nature of fatigue among female night shift nurses and underscores the importance of addressing both physical and psychological contributors to fatigue.

Understanding the patterns and predictors of nurse fatigue can support the development of workplace interventions to improve staff well-being and patient safety, particularly in high-stress environments such as hospitals.

The STROBE checklist guided reporting.

This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.