Other Titles
Rapid Presentation Round
Abstract
Background: Drowsy driving and commuting accidents following a night shift are common among healthcare workers including registered nurses (RNs)8. Mounting evidence suggests that there is a significantly higher adverse driving event following a night shift3,4,5,6. The Night to Light Revive Before You Drive is a project of the Night Shift Shared Governance Council which supports the recommendations for health equity in the Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report by the National Academy of Medicine9. Through interventions specific to the challenges faced by night shift RNs, the project aims to increase safety awareness to combat drowsy driving. These targeted proactive measures can alleviate safety risks10 and contribute to creating a healthy work environment by prioritizing self-wellness and advocating a culture of responsibility towards overall health7.
Methods: The Night to Light Revive Before You Drive is a project of the Night Shift Shared Governance Council which aims to improve the safety awareness of night shift RNs on their commute home. This pre-post interventional study design will have an initial implementation of twelve-months focusing on awareness and intervention campaign, provisions to improve access to the Wellness program promoting healthy lifestyles including sleep coaching and stress reduction techniques. Additional interventions include distribution of coffee carts with fresh coffee and snacks, the creation of a video documentary featuring night shift RNs to evoke empathy and vigilance about the effects of drowsy driving, and the creation of a mobile application Night to Light with safety features for night shift RNs. The project also offers Uber coupons as an alternative to driving home. The Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool Registered Nurses (HWEAT-RN1), Safety and Wellness survey and the Compassion Fatigue Burnout Scale2 will be completed at baseline and post-intervention among 100-night shift RNs. Paired t-tests will be used to compare mean scores between pre and post intervention.
Discussion: By advocating for the safety of night shift RNs and providing dynamic programs to combat drowsy driving and safe commuting practices, this study will create a healthier and safer work environment. By addressing the unique challenges faced by night shift RNs, the project can contribute to an equitable workplace environment, improve the overall wellbeing of staff, and ultimately, reduce turnover rates.
Notes
References:
1. AACN. (2019). Healthy Work Environments. American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. https://www.aacn.org/nursing-excellence/healthy-work-environments
2. Boscarino, J. A., Adams, R. E., & Figley, C. R. (2010). Secondary trauma issues for psychiatrists. The Psychiatric Times, 27(11), 24.
3. HaGani, N., Englard Hershler, M., & Ben Shlush, E. (2022). The relationship between burnout, commuting crashes and drowsy driving among hospital health care workers. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 95(6), 1357-1367.
4. James, S. M., & James, L. (2023). The impact of 12 h night shifts on nurses’ driving safety. Nursing Reports, 13(1), 436-444.
5.Lee, M. L., Howard, M. E., Horrey, W. J., Liang, Y., Anderson, C., Shreeve, M. S., ... & Czeisler, C. A. (2016). High risk of near-crash driving events following night-shift work. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(1), 176-181.
6. Liang, Y., Horrey, W. J., Howard, M. E., Lee, M. L., Anderson, C., Shreeve, M. S., ... & Czeisler, C. A. (2019). Prediction of drowsiness events in night shift workers during morning driving. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 126, 105-114.
7. Scott, L. D., Hwang, W. T., Rogers, A. E., Nysse, T., Dean, G. E., & Dinges, D. F. (2007). The relationship between nurse work schedules, sleep duration, and drowsy driving. Sleep, 30(12), 1801-1807.
8. Smith, A., McDonald, A. D., & Sasangohar, F. (2020). Night-shift nurses and drowsy driving: A qualitative study. International journal of nursing studies, 112, 103600.
9.The Future of Nursing 2020-2030. National Academy of Medicine. (2024, March 12). https://nam.edu/publications/the-future-of-nursing-2020-2030/
10. Zahed, K., Smith, A., McDonald, A. D., & Sasangohar, F. (2022). The Effects of Drowsiness Detection Technology and Education on Nurses’ Beliefs and Attitudes toward Drowsy Driving. IISE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors, 10(2), 104-115.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Night Shift Nurses, Drowsy Driving, Safe Commuting Practices
Recommended Citation
Oca, Imelda S.; Poralan, Armie; Delgado, Grace Marie; Sison, Mary Ann; and Bah, Khadijatu A., "Night to Light Revive Before You Drive" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 125.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2025/presentations_2025/125
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Night to Light Revive Before You Drive
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Background: Drowsy driving and commuting accidents following a night shift are common among healthcare workers including registered nurses (RNs)8. Mounting evidence suggests that there is a significantly higher adverse driving event following a night shift3,4,5,6. The Night to Light Revive Before You Drive is a project of the Night Shift Shared Governance Council which supports the recommendations for health equity in the Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report by the National Academy of Medicine9. Through interventions specific to the challenges faced by night shift RNs, the project aims to increase safety awareness to combat drowsy driving. These targeted proactive measures can alleviate safety risks10 and contribute to creating a healthy work environment by prioritizing self-wellness and advocating a culture of responsibility towards overall health7.
Methods: The Night to Light Revive Before You Drive is a project of the Night Shift Shared Governance Council which aims to improve the safety awareness of night shift RNs on their commute home. This pre-post interventional study design will have an initial implementation of twelve-months focusing on awareness and intervention campaign, provisions to improve access to the Wellness program promoting healthy lifestyles including sleep coaching and stress reduction techniques. Additional interventions include distribution of coffee carts with fresh coffee and snacks, the creation of a video documentary featuring night shift RNs to evoke empathy and vigilance about the effects of drowsy driving, and the creation of a mobile application Night to Light with safety features for night shift RNs. The project also offers Uber coupons as an alternative to driving home. The Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool Registered Nurses (HWEAT-RN1), Safety and Wellness survey and the Compassion Fatigue Burnout Scale2 will be completed at baseline and post-intervention among 100-night shift RNs. Paired t-tests will be used to compare mean scores between pre and post intervention.
Discussion: By advocating for the safety of night shift RNs and providing dynamic programs to combat drowsy driving and safe commuting practices, this study will create a healthier and safer work environment. By addressing the unique challenges faced by night shift RNs, the project can contribute to an equitable workplace environment, improve the overall wellbeing of staff, and ultimately, reduce turnover rates.
Description
Drowsy driving after a night shift is a critical challenge to the safety of nurses. The “Night to Light Revive Before You Drive” project aims to implement initiatives to improve the safety awareness of night shift registered nurses (RNs) during their journey back home. Safeguarding the well-being of the nursing staff contributes to overall workplace safety and fosters proactive measures that promotes the health and safety of the nursing staff who play a critical role in patient care.