Examining the impact of occupational stress and shift work schedules on the cognitive functions among firefighters in normal condition

<b>Background:</b>Firefighters are exposed to a wide range of psychological and physical hazards. <b>Objective:</b> The present study, in 2023 was conducted to investigate the impact of job-related stress and shift work on the cognitive abilities of firefighters in an oil field located in western Iran. <b>Methods:</b> The cognitive performance and job stress levels of study participants were evaluated using IVA-2 software version 2020 and OSIPOW questionnaire, respectively. Results were analyzed using SPSS software version 2022. <b>Results:</b> The study found a significant discrepancy in cognitive performance between day and night shifts (P < 0.001) for firefighters. During the day shift, Auditory Persistence and Visual Stamina had the highest (100.88) and lowest (84.04) scores, respectively, while the night shift had higher scores in Auditory Speed and Visual Sensory-Motor. Overall, cognitive performance was better during the day shift, but both shifts had a notable gap in average scores with a baseline. Shift work is connected to role duality (P < 0.05), responsibility (P < 0.001), and the physical environment (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the attention scale is connected to the physical environment (P < 0.05). <b>Conclusion:</b> Firefighters' performance is impacted by shift work and job stress, even under normal conditions. To maintain and improve cognitive abilities, corrective actions should focus on improving efficiency, creating suitable working conditions, and improving shift work management. Prioritizing individual responsibility is also suggested based on the correlation between stress and cognitive performance.