Healthcare Workers Well-Being and Safety (WeBeSafe): Ensuring a Sustainable Workforce in the Healthcare sector for the 21st Century

Background

Research on shift work and accidents among healthcare workers often relies on subjective data or national registers, which only record injuries resulting in emergency department visits or death. This leads to underreporting, as most workplace accidents and near-accidents are not included in these registers. Studies on sleep and shift work face limitations due to subjective measurements and logistical challenges in collecting objective data. These restrictions affect the accuracy of the data, the duration of sleep that can be measured, and the number of participants and settings that can be included.

Flexible working hours allow employees to influence their schedules, potentially improving well-being. However, few intervention studies have examined this effect, and there is a lack of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to support the findings of potential positive effects. While there is abundant research on factors predicting turnover intention, such as supportive leadership and job strain, the impact of shift work on turnover intention is less studied. Despite assumptions that shift work contributes to turnover, current data is insufficient for inclusion in meta-analyses. 

Objectives

This study will generate new knowledge about 

1. how shift work is associated with work-related incidents / accidents (adverse events) by compiling new and objective data sources, 
2. how shift work affects healthcare workers objectively measured sleep, 
3. compile three objective data sources and untangle the moderating role of sleep on the relationship between shift work exposure and adverse events, sickness absence and turnover intention, and 
4. evaluate the effect of increased flexibility in working hours on turnover intention, sleep, health, well-being, and safety for healthcare workers

Work packages

1. What is the nature of the relationship between different types of shift work and work-related incidents or accidents?
2. What characterizes the sleep pattern for healthcare workers when working different shifts and how is this related to turnover intention?
3. To what extent does sleep duration and sleep quality mediate the negative effects of shift work?
4. What is the effect of increased flexibility in working hours for healthcare workers?