Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39762877›Full record

Observational studyJournal of physiological anthropology2025

Quantity and quality of napping to mitigate fatigue and sleepiness among nurses working long night shifts: a prospective observational study.

Kazuhiro Watanabe, Inaho Shishido, Yoichi M Ito, Rika Yano

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of physiological anthropology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Observational
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Kazuhiro WatanabeGraduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 5, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0812, Japan.
Inaho ShishidoFaculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 5, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0812, Japan.
Yoichi M ItoData Science Center, Promotion Unit, Institute of Health Science Innovation for Medical Care, Hokkaido University Hospital, Kita 14, Nishi 5, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8648, Japan.
Rika YanoFaculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 5, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0812, Japan. r-yano@med.hokudai.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5243-8763

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNapping during night shifts is a countermeasure against fatigue and sleepiness, which both impact patient safety. However, there is insufficient evidence on how nurses nap, especially concerning their napping quality. This study explored night-shift napping and its associated factors among nurses, considering napping quantity and quality, to mitigate fatigue and sleepiness.

methodsThis month-long prospective observational study included 32 nurses working 16-h night shifts in a general ward. All nurses responded to questions on individual factors, while fatigue and sleepiness were checked four times during night shifts. Night-shift napping was measured using a wearable device and classified into six groups: time in bed [TIB] > 180 min and sleep efficiency [SE] ≥ 70%, TIB > 180 min and SE < 70%, TIB 120-180 min and SE ≥ 70%, TIB 120-180 min and SE < 70%, TIB < 120 min and SE ≥ 70%, and TIB < 120 min and SE < 70%.

resultsMost nurses (81.2%) worked four night shifts per month, and 105 night shifts in which nurses intended to nap were analyzed. The two nap conditions (TIB 120-180 min and SE ≥ 70%, TIB > 180 min and SE ≥ 70%) were not worse than other nap conditions in fatigue and sleepiness at the end of the night shift and change in fatigue from the start to the end of the night shift. Sleep reactivity, pre-nap time on electronic devices, and prophylactic naps taken before the night shift were each the common factors related to napping for TIB ≥ 120 min and SE ≥ 70%.

conclusionsNurses working long night shifts should consider both sufficient napping quantity and good napping quality. We suggest aiming for a TIB of at least 120 min and a SE of at least 70% to mitigate fatigue and sleepiness at the end of a night shift. Assessing sleep reactivity, pre-nap time on electronic devices, and prophylactic naps may be useful in achieving both quantity and quality effectively. Nurses and their managers should have a better understanding of napping and consider strategically taking naps during night shifts.

Indexed as

FatigueNursesSleepSleepinessWork Schedule ToleranceAdultFemaleHumansMaleProspective StudiesShift Work ScheduleFatigueLong working hoursNapNursesShift work scheduleSleepSleep hygieneSleepiness

Identifiers

PMID39762877
PMCPMC11702087

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.