Length of Shift and Clinical Reasoning Among ICU Staff Nurses

1. CAT Critically Appraised Topic Molly Falkner SN, Tawny NicolySN, Elizabeth Van Tuinen SN Carroll University, Waukesha, WI Collaborating ICU Practice Council Member: Cat Zyniecki, BSN, RN Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha, WI PICO QUESTION: Do ICU staff nurses who work 12-hour shifts have decreased critical thinking ability compared with ICU staff nurses who work 8-hour shifts? CLINICAL BOTTOM LINE: There is no significant difference in critical thinking ability between ICU staff nurses who work 8 and 12-hour shifts. BEST EVIDENCE: Fields, W., & Loveridge, C. (1988). Critical thinking and fatigue: how do nurses on 8- & 12-hour shifts compare? Nursing Economic$, 6(4), 189-191. Design: Quasi-Experimental Sample: 102 critical care nurses in the Critical Care Department of an acute-care hospital in California. Of the 102, 50 worked 8-hour shifts and 52 worked 12-hour shifts. Findings:After completing the Three-Minute Reasoning test during the first and last hour of the shift, it was concluded that there was no significant difference in critical thinking ability between the 8-hour shift group and 12-hour shift group. Length of Shift and Clinical Reasoning Among ICU Staff Nurses