Nursing work is organized into shifts to provide uninterrupted care and fulfill the demand of the population for health services. It is a descriptive and exploratory research, conducted in the period of March 2008 in the University Hospital of Santa Maria/RS, Brazil. The objective is to present and discuss the changes in health perceived by nurses in the night shift. The participants were 42 nurses submitted to interviews, whose data were analyzed according to the theme analysis. The results confirmed that 27 nurses perceive changes in health: sleepiness/rest, tiredness/burnout among others. On the other hand, there is the convenience of working in the night shift in order to continue with studies and the possibility of conciliating a second job. In conclusion is necessary a comprehension of the workers on their bodies limits to perform an activity which does not interfere with the process health-sickness and does not compromise the service provided.
Night work; Occupational health; Work schedule tolerante; Nursing
