Organisation of working hour schedules in the Northern European countries are rather similar. EU countries are obliged to adopt national legislation regarding duration of weekly working hours and rest periods. Yet, working hour characteristics and schedules are likely to differ with respect to starting times and duration depending e.g. on culture and tradition. Yet, very little is known about potential differences between shifts and schedules across countries among nursing personel. This knowledge is relevant, since the potential differences in working hour characteristics may influence and possibly explain some of the differences observed in studies of health and safety. The aim of the study was to compare characteristics of working hours and work schedules among nursing personel in three Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland and Norway. The study populations included nursing personnel holding a ≥ 50% position at public hospitals in Denmark (n = 63,678), Finland (n = 18,257) or Norway (n = 1538) in 2013. Objective payroll based registry data with information on daily starting and ending times were used to compare working hour characteristics e.g. starting time, duration of shift, and quick returns (< 11 h between two shifts), as well as work schedules e.g. permanent or 3-shift work between the three countries. Night shifts generally started earlier and lasted longer in Finland (10–11 h starting at 20:00–22:59) than in Norway (10 h starting at 21:00–21:59) and in Denmark (8 h starting at 23:00–23:59). Very long shifts (≥12 h) were more common in Denmark (12%) compared to Finland (8%) and Norway (3%). More employees had many (> 13/year) quick returns in Norway (64%) and Finland (47%) compared to Denmark (16%). The frequency of 3-shift rotation workers was highest in Norway (41%) and lower in Denmark (22%) and Finland (22%). There were few differences across the countries in terms of early morning shifts and (very) long weekly working hours. Despite similar distribution of operational hours among nurses in the three countries, there were differences in working hour characteristics and the use of different types of work schedules. The observed differences may affect health and safety.

中文翻译：

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三个北欧国家护士的工作时间特征和时间表——使用工资数据的比较研究

北欧国家的工作时间安排非常相似。欧盟国家有义务通过有关每周工作时间和休息时间的国家立法。然而，工作时间特征和时间表在开始时间和持续时间方面可能会有所不同，这取决于文化和传统等因素。然而，关于各国护理人员轮班和时间表之间的潜在差异知之甚少。这种知识是相关的，因为工作时间特征的潜在差异可能会影响并可能解释在健康和安全研究中观察到的一些差异。该研究的目的是比较三个北欧国家：丹麦、芬兰和挪威的护理人员的工作时间和工作时间表的特征。研究人群包括 2013 年在丹麦 (n = 63,678)、芬兰 (n = 18,257) 或挪威 (n = 1538) 公立医院担任 ≥ 50% 职位的护理人员。结束时间用于比较工作时间特征，例如开始时间、轮班持续时间和快速返回（两班之间小于 11 小时），以及工作时间表，例如三个国家之间的永久或三班工作。在芬兰（从 20:00-22:59 开始的 10-11 小时）和挪威（从 21:00-21:59 开始的 10 小时）和丹麦（从 23 点开始的 8 小时）的夜班通常开始得更早且持续时间更长:00–23:59)。与芬兰 (8%) 和挪威 (3%) 相比，丹麦 (12%) 的超长班次 (≥12 小时) 更为常见。更多的员工有很多（> 与丹麦 (16%) 相比，挪威 (64%) 和芬兰 (47%) 的快速回报率为 13/年。三班轮换工人的频率在挪威最高（41%），在丹麦（22%）和芬兰（22%）较低。在早班和（非常）长的每周工作时间方面，各国之间几乎没有差异。尽管这三个国家护士的工作时间分布相似，但工作时间特征和使用不同类型的工作时间表存在差异。观察到的差异可能会影响健康和安全。尽管这三个国家护士的工作时间分布相似，但工作时间特征和使用不同类型的工作时间表存在差异。观察到的差异可能会影响健康和安全。尽管这三个国家护士的工作时间分布相似，但工作时间特征和使用不同类型的工作时间表存在差异。观察到的差异可能会影响健康和安全。