The stresses associated with the contemporary practice of nursing also lead to an increase in the rate of burn-out among professional nurses (Brenner and Wrubel, 1988, pp. 1072-1075). Burn-out, in turn, is a crucial factor in the development of performance impairment among professional nurses. Burn-out is a relatively common phenomenon in many fields of endeavor; however, it is particularly acute in the nursing practice. Burn-out, together with the actions of personnel before this point is reached, lead to high rates of personnel turnover, decreased levels of productivity, and declining quality levels in duty performance--impaired nursing. These factors cause severe managerial problems for health care delivery institutions, increased patient risk, and significant disruptions in the lives of the professio

Nurses working rotating shifts also report poorer mental health and more psychosomatic complaints than nurses working fixed-shifts (Jamal, 1989, p. 115). Specifically, nurses working rotating shifts report difficulty in sleeping, upset stomachs, headaches, sickness in the early morning, and dizziness later in the day. Nurses working rotating shifts also report lower social involvement than fixed-shift nurses.

been at issue in the historical context is that work time, whatever its duration, should generally occur in blocks of contiguous hours. Beginning in the late-1970s and continuing into the decade of the 1990s, however, flexible work time concepts have changed and are continuing to change the character of this issue (Gilmour, 1992, pp. 513-517). Further, in many instances, administration and management has taken the lead in the development, gaining employee acceptance, and introduction of such concepts.

Belsky, J. (1990). Infant day care, child development, and family policy. Transaction Social Science and Modern Society, 27(5), 10-12.

nal nurses involved. Burnout leads to additional defections from the profession, and further exacerbates the professional personnel shortage.

Absenteeism began to increase dramatically in the American workplace in the early-1970s. The increase in absenteeism occurred concurrently with a decline in productivity. Any solution to the problem of worker absenteeism, thus, may be expected to boost organizational productivity. Flexible work arrangements have been found to reduce both absenteeism and tardiness (Sommer and Malina, 1991, pp. 29-40; Thomas and Thomas, 1990, pp. 31-41; Lussier, 1990, pp. 14-16). The Johnson & Johnson Corporation found that absenteeism among employees who worked on flexible working hours schedules was 50 percent less than among all company employees (Galen, Palmer, Cuneo,