Healthcare Research: Safer Nursing 24/7

Nurses are the largest group of health professionals in New Zealand, and DHB-based nurses working in acute settings, who are the main focus of this project, account for approximately 40% of all Registered and Enrolled Nurses.

This project incorporated recent advances in science and safety management to develop and implement an evidence-based approach to managing shift work and fatigue of nurses in New Zealand hospitals, and was supported by extensive sector engagement and project promotional activities.

Key outputs from the project included:

• a nationwide survey of Registered and Enrolled DHB Nurses’ work patterns in 6 practice areas with high a priori risk of fatigue-related error.
• a fatigue risk assessment matrix based on the survey findings.
• a Code of Practice for shift work and fatigue management in hospital-based nursing, developed in collaboration with key stakeholders and with broad sector consultation. 

Updates and outputs are available on the project website: www.safernursing24-7.co.nz.

Collaborators: Professor Annette Huntington and Adjunct Associate Professor Leonie Walker (Massey University), Dr Jinny Willis (New Zealand Nurses Organisation)

Funders: major funder, Health Research Council of New Zealand; additional funders, New Zealand Lottery Grants Board, McCutchan Trust, Massey University