Table 1

Baseline (2008/2009) descriptive statistics by work time schedule in a sample of Norwegian nurses (n=2028)

VariableWork schedule (n=2006*)
Shift work with nights
(n=1299)
Shift work without nights
(n=612)
Only day work
(n=95)
Sex, n (column %)
 Female1171 (90.2)558 (91.2)86 (91.5)
 Male128 (9.9)54 (8.8)8 (8.5)
Age, years, n (col %)
 21–29654 (50.4)295 (48.4)12 (12.6)
 30–39469 (36.2)178 (29.2)58 (61.1)
 ≥40174 (13.4)137 (22.5)25 (26.3)
Marital status, n (col %)
 Partner888 (68.9)436 (71.4)75 (79.8)
 Single401 (31.1)175 (28.6)19 (20.2)
Children living at home
 Yes534 (42.6)259 (44.0)67 (72.8)
 No721 (57.5)330 (56.0)25 (27.2)
Work experience (years)
 <1335 (25.9)232 (38.0)3 (3.2)
 1–2321 (24.8)180 (29.5)6 (6.4)
 3–5266 (20.6)78 (12.8)11 (11.7)
 6–10296 (22.9)97 (15.9)54 (57.5)
 >1076 (5.9)23 (3.8)20 (21.3)
Per cent of full position
 <50%48 (3.7)39 (6.4)3 (3.2)
 50%–75%450 (34.8)161 (26.4)7 (7.4)
 76%–90%191 (14.8)89 (14.6)10 (10.5)
 >90%605 (46.8)322 (52.7)75 (79.0)
Type of workplace
 Hospital-based care1183 (94.6)348 (61.1)80 (95.2)
 Community-based care67 (5.4)222 (39.0)4 (4.8)
 Job demands†14.3 (2.6)13.6 (2.8)14.0 (3.0)
Second job
 Yes198 (15.3)106 (17.4)8 (8.4)
 No1095 (84.7)502 (82.6)87 (91.6)
Symptoms of anxiety and/or depression‡
 Yes236 (18.2)124 (20.4)19 (20.2)
 No1058 (81.8)485 (79.6)75 (79.8)
  • *Twenty-two had missing information on work schedule at baseline.

  • †Exposure to psychological job demands based on the Swedish-Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire.

  • ‡Symptoms of anxiety and/or depression based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.