Abstract:

Objective：To compare the effects of rotational night shifts on the micturition patterns of female nurses. Methods: A total of 58 nurses without lower urinary tract symptoms were recruited, who worked in the Peking University People’s Hospital during January and June in 2014. The nurses aged 20-43 years were divided into two groups, the night-shift group (n=28) and the non-shift group (n=30). The alcohol or coffee intaking were forbidden. In the night-shift group, nurses had worked on rotational shifts for at least 6 months. Their average age was (26.75±4.11) years. In the non-shift group, nurses took regular daytime work, whose average age was (27.80±5.60) years. A voiding diary was kept for 7 consecutive days at the end of 6 months, starting 2 days before their night duties until 4 days after completion of their night duties. For comparison, the non-shift group with regular shifts completed a 7-day voiding diary. In the 7-day recording voiding diary, the nurses were required to have the normal intake of liquid about 1 500-2 000 mL/d. The frequency volume charts of nocturia, the 8hour interval urine production and frequency were compared between the two groups.  Results: Nocturia frequency was increased in the night-shift group ［0.5 (0-2.4)］ compared with the non-shift group ［0 (0-2), P=0.02］. The volume of nocturia was increased in the night-shift group ［125 mL (0-660 mL)］ compared with the non-shift group ［0 mL (0-340 mL), P<0.01］. The 8-hour interval indices showed that urine production changed with shift (P<0.01). In the consecutive 7 days, the nocturnal volume of the night-shift group increased on the day after night shift. When the night-shift nurses returned to daytime duty, the volume of urine decreased but nocturnal urine production remained high, and the frequency of nocturia also increased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the 8-hour interval indices, the night-shift group’s voiding volume ［(542.35±204.66) mL］ and voiding frequency (2.24±0.69) were more than those of the non-shift group at the afternoon time (from 2 pm to 10 pm). During the 8 h interval night time (from 10 pm to 6 am), the volume of nocturia in the nightshift group ［(309.74±162.74) mL］ was more than that in the non-shift group ［(199.38±153.98) mL, P=0.01］; the frequency of nocturia in the night-shift group (1.31±0.52) was increased than that in the non-shift group (0.82±0.55, P<0.01).Conclusion: The rotational shifts affect the micturition patterns of nurses who go through the night shift work, which increases the volume and frequency of the nocturia.

Key words: Nocturia, Urination, Nurses, Night shift