Anyone who works shifts will agree that shift work is bad for your health. How bad it is, depends on many factors. However, the implications for doctors and nurses who work shifts are particularly serious. Medical mistakes – many of which go unreported and can sometimes even be fatal – and the personal risks that […]
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For many of us, ‘spring forward’, the changing of the clocks in March, seems like just a minor annoyance that interferes with our Sunday morning lie-in. However, tampering with the clock has been shown to cause far more disruption than that, and the costs to each of us and society at large are huge. Living in […]
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As we approach Nurses Week 2019, in Canada, we discover that working conditions are far from ideal within the profession. Widespread fatigue, poor health and fear of making mistakes prompt the question: who is taking care of the caregivers? Nurse fatigue: who is taking care of the caregivers? Click to Tweet The situation, throughout North […]
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While it is well-known that night shift working comes with its problems, for men’s health there are some risks that they may not have considered, but that affect them more than they may know—even to the extent of risking their lives every working day. Financial pressures, pride and even a macho attitude may drive men […]
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As we near the end of Nurses Week 2017 in Canada we discover that working conditions are far from ideal within the profession. Widespread fatigue, poor health and fear of making mistakes prompt the question: who is taking care of the caregivers? Nurse fatigue: who is taking care of the caregivers? Click to Tweet The […]
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It’s well known as the toughest, most grueling race in the world. Over 250 kilometers in temperatures routinely over 50 degrees, sandstorms, crippling blisters and, would you believe it, rationed water. No wonder runners have to pass rigorous testing before they are allowed to enter. Many fail to qualify; some have died on this run. […]
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The issue of pilot fatigue has a long history of discussion, debate and regulation, but we are still hearing pilots complaining about it. It isn’t going away and it’s probably getting worse. Although flying is relatively safe, there is plenty of evidence that, with a commercial flight taking off somewhere in the world, every second […]
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It’s autumn, and most of us are looking forward to an extra hour in bed the night the clocks ‘fall back’. For night shift workers, however, it’s not such a welcome event. For nurses on a ‘normal’ 12.5-hour night shift, that extra hour of work can not only be extremely tiring, but can also potentially […]
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While it is widely accepted that shift work causes circadian rhythm disruption, it is only relatively recently that its link to cancer risk has been scientifically established. And while many studies have concentrated on the potential of women to develop breast cancer, evidence also points to a risk to men as well, particularly of prostate […]
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Are you falling asleep during a work shift and suffering from insomnia during the day? Staying awake at night and trying to sleep during the day goes against evolution, adversely affecting all biological functions as they continually try to adjust. We have naturally evolved to rest, heal and restore our bodies while we sleep at […]
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