How would you answer this question?
A recent study found that mortality increases with consistent overtime work. Which of the following conditions was not caused by working overtime?
a. Death due to heart disease.
b. Non-fatal heart attack.
c. Angina.
d. Cardiomyopathy.
The correct answer is "d" cardiomyopathy.
In a large study in Finland, researchers found that workers who consistently worked overtime had an increased risk of heart problems such as death due to heart attack, non-fatal heart attacks, and angina. The increase was independent of conventional risk factors.
There may be many reasons why overtime work increases coronary disease: 1) overtime work increases individual stress, 2) overtime work leads to poor sleep and rest patterns, 3) workers may eat less healthy foods when they are picking up meals "on the go" after agreeing to work overtime, and 4) many other situational or individual factors.
Cardiomyopathy is a progressive heart disease that results in poor cardiac function, and although cardiomyopathy can be caused my myocardial infarction, it was not directly caused by overtime work.
The take home point here is that nurses need to take care of themselves. Working overtime, disrupting sleep patterns, and poor eating habits can lead to poor health of nurses. Here's a question to ask yourself "how well do you follow the advise you give your patients?" If the answer is not well than give yourself the gift of health -- your patients will appreciate it.
Reference:
Virtanen, M., et al. (2010). Overtime work and incident coronary heart disease: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study. European Heart Journal, retrieved May 28, 2010 from http://www.eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2010/05/04/eurheartj.ehq124.
Congratulations to John Walachy who won an autographed copy of my 101 Tips to Improve Your Nursing Care book for answering this week's question correctly. Congratulations John!
Best wishes,
David W. Woodruff, MSN, RN-BC, CNS, CEN
President, Ed4Nurses, Inc.
PS. Nursing career in a slump? Contact the "Nurses' Career Coach" to get a FREE 30-minute coaching session on how to be happier and more fulfilled in your nursing career. Call Debbie to schedule your FREE coaching session now: (800) 990-2538.
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