Nurses at risk working long hours

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 08 Nov 2003 - 0:00 PDT

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A new report by the National Academy of Sciences says patients are being endangered by nurses who are required to work more than 12 hours a day.

The New York Times said Wednesday the study, commissioned by the federal government, notes such long hours cause fatigue, reduce productivity and increase the risk the nurses will make mistakes that harm patients.

The report said many hospital and nursing home nurses and their nursing assistants work more than 12 consecutive hours, with some working double shifts of 16 hours.

The report suggests state officials should prohibit nurses from working more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period, or more than 60 hours a week.

The study said 27 percent of nurses at hospitals and nursing homes reported they worked more than 13 consecutive hours at least once a week.

The report noted many hospitals and nursing facilities have too few nurses to take proper care of patients.