Measuring nurses’ on-shift physical activity and sedentary time by accelerometry or heart rate monitoring: a descriptive case study illustrating the importance of context

Table 2 Structure of typical shifts

Typical activity
Time	Morning shift	Time	Afternoon shift
0700	Start of shift Indirect patient care Direct patient care	1400	Start of shift Indirect patient care Direct patient care
0800	Direct patient care	1500	Afternoon break
0900	Direct patient care Morning break	1600
1000		1700	Indirect patient care Dinner break
1100		1800
1200	Indirect patient care Lunch break	1900
1300	Indirect patient care	2000	Direct patient care
1400	Indirect patient care	2100	Indirect patient care
1500	Finish shift (1500–1530)	2200	Finish shift (2130–2230)

This is an outline of the typical structure of a shift; however, nurses’ activities are patient dependent and may occur at different times. Direct patient care includes transferring patients from bed to chair, bed to trolley or chair to bed, assisting patients to walk, showering patients, administration of medications, and implementation of therapies. Indirect patient care includes medication preparation, paperwork and walking between rooms and wards. The gaps across the shift represent particular times where nurses’ work is not structured, and their activity solely will depend on patient care needs

ISSN: 2731-4391