Psychosocial health risks among nursing staff working in shifts

Background: Nurses are one of the professional groups most exposed to psychosocial risks. Excessive responsibilities, time pressure, the need to make quick decisions, shift work, lack of adequate rest, contact with death and human suffering - all these factors can significantly affect the mental state and result in the development of health problems among nursing staff. Materials and methods: The study was conducted among 193 nurses working at the University Clinical Hospital No. 2 of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. Participation in the study was anonymous and voluntary. The study used a proprietary questionnaire and the following standardized tools: PSS-10, FAS, AIS and MBI. Objective: The aim of the study was to identify psychosocial health risks among nursing staff working in a shift system. Results: More than half of the respondents (52.85%) showed moderate fatigue according to FAS. It was found that 66.32% of respondents suffered from insomnia according to AIS, 66.84% of respondents experienced high levels of stress according to PSS-10. It was shown that 45.60% of respondents had high levels of emotional exhaustion, 43.01% had high levels of depersonalization, and as many as 73.06% had high levels of lack of accomplishment according to MBI. Fatigue (FAS) and insomnia (AIS) showed significant positive correlations with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, as well as negative correlations with a sense of professional achievement. Conclusion: Overall, the findings indicate that shift work constitutes a significant psychological health risk for nurses, with stress, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and burnout forming a closely interrelated cluster of adverse outcomes. The observed associations suggest that chronic occupational strain may reinforce emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced professional efficacy. Moreover, work organization and length of service appear to play an important role in shaping nurses' vulnerability to these risks. These results highlight the need for targeted organizational and preventive strategies aimed at reducing psychosocial burden and supporting mental well-being among shift-working nursing staff.