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Sleepy Nurses Increase Medication Errors

Posted By Dr. Mercola | June 15 2007 | 3,020 views
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A new study has found striking links between troubled sleep and on-the-job errors in the nursing profession. 

Out of 2,082 nurses surveyed, more than a quarter of them suffer from insomnia, and more than half suffer from a combination of difficulty falling asleep, and trouble staying asleep throughout the night.

The survey found that your chances of getting the wrong medication from a nurse who has trouble "staying asleep" increases by about 50 percent, compared to a nurse who sleeps well.

And, nurses who have difficulty "falling asleep" make almost twice as many mistakes on patient charts as nurses who are normal sleepers. Unfortunately, only 30 percent of sleep-deprived health care professionals ever seek treatment for their sleep problems.

Chronic insomnia can be due to increased blood levels of stress hormones. Essentially, if you have a stressful job your body simply keeps responding to the stress 24/7 without shutting off.

Learning how to de-stress and "unplug," can be an essential life skill that goes way beyond increasing your own health and well-being. It may even save someone else's life, depending on what profession you're in. If you or someone you know suffer from insomnia or disturbed sleep, please review my 33 Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep.

EurekAlert June 15, 2007

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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

†The World's #1 Natural Health Website claim is based upon Alexa Natural Health Website rankings.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

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Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

†The World's #1 Natural Health Website claim is based upon Alexa Natural Health Website rankings.

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