Comparison of two work schedules and interference with personal activities and employee attitudes

Abstract

In nursing job dissatisfaction and nursing turnover are· high. One strategy that has been developed to attempt to alleviate some of these problems is the introduction of alternate work schedules into the ·health care fields. One such alternate work schedule is the twelve-hbu~ shift. This comparative ex-post facto study design systematically examines the attitudes of two groups of regist~red nurses in relatidn to the twelve-hour -alterriate work .schedule: and the traditional eight-hour work schequle. One group of nurses - worked twelve hours per day at -least.two days per week. The other group of hurses worked eight hour~ per day, four tb five days per ~~ek~ _:·surveys·were·c6mp1eted by the registered nurses, and the results-wefe analyzed to· - determine the attitudes of each group regarding the spe6ific schedule worked and the amount of interference with personal activities. No significant difference Was found between the two groups in ralation to attitudes toward the ~chedule. ·Howe~er, there was a signijicant difference in the amount of interference with personal activities. The twelve-hour group consistently reported less interference with personal activities than the eight-hour group.