Iranian Journal of Rehabilitation Research in Nursing

Introduction: Health promoting activities and a healthy lifestyle are major strategies

to preserve health. The purpose of this study was to compare health promoting lifestyle in rotating shift work vs fixed shift work nurses in Ilam- Iran.

Methods: Our research was a descriptive - analytical and cross- sectional study. The sample consisted of 80 fixed shift work nurses and 80 rotating shift work counterparts at three hospitals in Ilam-Iran. Convenience sampling was used as sampling method. Data collection tools were a demographic questionnaire and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II. Descriptive and Inferential data analyses including independent t-test and analysis of variance was conducted using SPSS19 statistical software.

Results: Independent t-tests showed that global health Promoting lifestyle profile scores of fixed shift work nurses were higher than that of rotating shift work nurses (p≤0.001). There were statistically significant differences between nutritional patterns and habits, stress management, interpersonal relationships and physical activities in rotating shiftwork nurses and their fixed shift work counterparts(p≤0.001). On the other hand, we found no such significant differences in self-actualization and health management responsibilities sub scores between two groups(p=0/8). ANOVA test showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between age, gender and marital status and health promoting lifestyle scores in rotating shiftwork and fixed shift work nurses(p≥0.05).

Conclusion: Rotating shift works have negative impacts on healthy lifestyle of nurses and could negatively affect their nutritional patterns, interpersonal relationship, stress management and physical activities. Based on the results of this study, nurses who work at rotating shifts are negatively affected from these adverse effects. So programs must be developed to protect nurses in long shift works and psychological interventions to reduce stresses caused by these undesirable work conditions.