Nursing & Healthcare

Biography

Kari Ingstad has completed her PhD at the age of 38 years from Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), and postdoctoral studies from Nord University. She is director of Research in the Faculty of health Sciences, Nord University. She has published more than 20 journal papers, book chapters, and conference papers. She has edited one book on Gender, Work and Employment.

Research Interest

Extended work shifts of 12 hours or more have become a common scheduling strategy for nurses in several countries, though this is not the case in Norway. There, many managers, nurses, and union representatives have expressed concerns about whether nurses can function effectively while working long shifts. This study thus aimed to examine how long shifts influence nursing outcomes such as stress, continuity, and responsibility in Norwegian nursing homes. Data were collected during indepth interviews with 16 nurses employed at four different nursing homes who have worked 12–14-hour shifts. Results suggest that long shifts actually reduce stress and increase both work continuity and accountability, though these positive impacts of long shifts occur primarily when all departmental staff work long shifts. Furthermore, fewer shift changes mean more time spent with patients and better communication. Keywords: job satisfaction, nursing home, shift length, work performance