Abstract

Background: Individuals with shift work sleep disorder are at risk for significant behavioral and health related such as emotional, psychological, and somatic issues. Sleeping problems in the health-care workers can lead to medication error incidents, resulting in undesired patients' safety. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the subjective sleepiness and changes in some vital signs of the night shift health care workers. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study that has been done in a hospital in Iran, 2017. Clinical staffs were as the study population; all of them were in shift working schedule. Seventy-nine personnel were selected in random. Data gathered using a researcher-developed demographic questionnaire and Stanford Sleepiness Scale to measure the intensity of the sleepiness. Data were analyzed using t, ANOVA, and Pearson's tests by SPSS V20. Responders were aged 35.24 +/- 6.35 (mean +/- standard deviation) years. Results: Staff had the lowest amount of sleepiness at around 22: 30 and the highest at the end of the shift. Sleepiness was significantly correlated with age, work experience, and body mass index (BMI), and level of education. A significant relationship was observed between age, work experience, BMI, and education level (P < 0.05). Beat and breath rates were in diverse and significant relationship with sleepiness (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Sleepiness in two studied groups was similar. Sleepiness can decrease beat and breath rates, so decision makers should pay attention to physical health of staffs, especially on health-care centers to increase staff and patients safety.