Discuss the Social, Psychological and Physiological Affects of Night Work on the Individual

A study by Minors, Healy and Waterhouse (1994) surveyed 43 student nurses before and immediately after their first eight weeks of nightwork. Although their general status was not found to have differed significantly, the subjects did show a significantly greater deterioration in interpersonal relationships while on nightwork. (PsycLIT, 1995). Strain put on interpersonal relationships can result in difficulties in other aspects of an individual's life and can lead to problems in the working environment. A Finnish study by Harma, Hakola and Laitinen ( 1992), looked at the relation between age and the circadian adjustment to nightwork In three groups of shift-worker, those aged 19-28, 30-44 and 53-59. They found that aging decreases circadian adjustment to nightwork. ( PsychLIT, 1995). The same researchers found ( 1996) that woman adjust more quickly to nightwork than men.
Nightwork is very much a part of modern living in many parts of the world and it is very unlikely that the practice will disappear in the foreseeable future. Nightshift definitely incorporates a lot of psychological, social and physiological problems ; these need to be addressed as the preference towards shift work mentality increase. It would be feasible to say that shift work is here to stay; mainly because there is too much money wrapped up in equipment and services for it to be abolished.
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