Shift work is associated with increased risk of health problems. We chose to test the parameters of wakefulness at shift-working nurses using the Performance Vigilance Task (PVT-192). The visual analogue scale of sleepiness (VAS) and selected sleep history data were included in the investigation. 20 nurses working in a 12-hour rotating shift regimen were included. Exclusion criteria comprised the use of sleep-modulating drugs, the presence of history-based sleep disorders, morbidity. Each of the nurses underwent a total of four PVT tests, before and then after her (day or night) duty. The reaction time (RT) mean value before the day shift was 261.3ms (SD±38.7), after the day shift 260.1ms (SD±33.1), before the night shift 251.3ms (SD±23.5), after the night shift 260.5ms (SD±26.1). There were significant differences in RT before and after the night duty, and between the RT of both evening measurements. The difference in RT before and after duty was significantly greater after night shifts. There was a significant difference between the rate of PVT test errors before the day shift and after the night shift. VAS-based subjective rating of daytime sleepiness was 3.3 (SD±2.2) before and 3.5 (SD±2.8) after the day shift, 3.1 (SD±2.4) before and 5.9 (SD±2.3) after the night shift. There was a significant difference between VAS before and after night shifts, and a significant difference in the VAS difference between the beginning and end of the night shift in comparison with the day shift. Clearly enough, the circadian aspect has a major role to play in the testing.

Charles University and General University Hospital 1st Faculty of Medicine Department of Neurology Prague Czech Republic

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