Night Shift And Cancer

Liddle Noodnik · Jun 4, 2003

Originally posted by Talino
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I heard that FT long term night shift workers live 7 years less!

Too bad cuz I really like them!

oramar · Jun 4, 2003

That could be related to Vitamin D and sunshine. There is a calcium cancer relationship. Perhaps the calcium can't be activated without the Vitamin D. Just brainstorming, don't really know.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Jun 4, 2003

I'm in that study. I have wondered several times if just being IN the study might make nurses or anyone else more cognizant of sx and sx of various disease processes?

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jun 4, 2003

Wow, this stinks. I want to work night shift too.

Sophronia · Jun 4, 2003

Emeraldnyl you want to live 7 years less?

SmallTexan · Jun 4, 2003

I've read this several times before. Seems like EVERYTHING causes cancer.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 4, 2003

Working night shift is one of the hardest things a person can do for the bodyl. I did a paper on night shift many years ago when in school. Night shift workers have higher blood pressure, more stomach ailments, sleep disturbances, vague physical ailments on and on and on. But those who did rotating shifts day-nights faired a little worse.

Yet here I am, 12 years into working nights.

roxannekkb · Jun 4, 2003

When I worked nights I was always sick with something. I never felt rested no matter how long I slept. While I really loved the atmosphere of nights, I switched back to days and was soon back to my old self. Working nights totally screws up your natural biorhythms, especially if you switch back to a day schedule when you're off work. Rotating shifts is also unhealthy--that really puts your body in a tizzy!

So for me, noc shift was a health horror. Once I was back on a day schedule, my normal good health returned and the chronic fatigue vanished.

jschut, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2003

I like my night shift and plan to stay on nights until I graduate with RN in a couple of years....maybe I'll only live 4 years less.....

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2003

So does anyone else work nights and love it? The hospital I am considering working at pays 20% more for nights; plus I am totally not a morning person. I just hope the living 7 years less thing isn't true!

NurseChick · Jun 5, 2003

I love working night shift no matter what some study says about MY health. I would much rather BE up at 0400, then GET up at 0400! Plus I can do more stuff with my kids in school. We used to get an extra $3.00 a hour a night, but our administrator took it away. Obviously he wasn't in charge of the whole building by himself at night when more things happen!