Nurses should not be allowed to work over time

Although this looks to be a cure, it has come along with many negative effects on patients, nurses themselves and the community they are serving. Research has shown that working additional hours per week has been associated with some of the occupation injuries. As the working hours were increased needle injuries for example increased since the concentration level of nurses and physical fatigue has crept in. This fatigue comes with some far worse adverse effects on nurses working in the surgical unit which have a lot of negative effects on patients as many errors occur that can threaten the patient’s life. Hence nurses should not be required to do overtime because it can imperil the safety and quality of patient care, reduce morale and less family time(Hwang, and Rogers).

A negative attitude is developed towards the patients. These is observed when nurses talk and treat to patients rudely. Missed frequent surveillance leads to the lack to spot changes for the patients’ health conditions and this may be very dangerous. Dropped level of concentration may even cause nurses not using doctors’ instructions on the administration of drugs and can even administer the wrong drugs which results of these effects are immediately seen particularly on patients suffering serious diseases. Their health greatly deteriorates within a short time span and the threat of loss of life start occurring. If the process is long and time consuming, the medical staffs tend not to complete the task particularly when its paper work which is defined by professionals and medical staffs as source of stress and dissatisfaction.

This additional paper work to nurses is a burden and it less likely for them to finish the report on the error (Patrician, and Vance). Finally it greatly influences the follow up responses on the error. Considering that these are past events the worn out nurses are reluctant as ever to comply and act or respond on the report. Because of the limited time and considering that the report may take some time from patient care (directly). Lack of enough sleep comes with its own negative effects. Lack of enough sleeping time reduces attention hence a low ability of nurses to complete their general tasks which causes the decrease of quality of their work. It reduces the ability of the body to achieve its optimal best since the working memory lowers (MacPhee).

In the body there is an alteration of the endocrine system and the neurophysiological system that renders all practiced events done during the sleep deprivation time. These results to reduced concentration and vigilance from the nurse. If some protective measures are not taken the nurses end up contracting the dreadful disease (Schumacher, and Sipes). Therefore the nurses should not be allowed to work on additional hours since the negative effects out way the positive effect. Tough rules and measures should but on the working hours. More nurses should be recruited so that every hour is assigned to someone leaving no option of working additional hours. Works cited Bellebaum, Katherine. 2004, pp. , Accessed 27 May 2018. MacPhee, Maura. "The Impact Of Heavy Perceived Nurse Workloads On Patient And Nurse Outcomes".