Many nurses who provide patient care have to work extended hours in a recent study (Geiger-Brown, et al., 2006) on registered nurses, she discovered. that more than a third of nurses regularly work 12 hours or more per day. There are also safety concerns for nurses who have to work such long shifts. Extended working hours can lead to increased rates of musculoskeletal disorders, such as neck and back pain. Some nurses often view fatigue as a normal part of their job, but when it begins to interfere with job performance, a serious problem arises. Understaffing also plays a large role in why most nurses have to work such long hours. You would think that you could never have enough nurses for one shift, but believe it or not, there is always a shortage. Having to work such long hours and feeling exhausted can cause people to feel extremely stressed, and being so stressed is not good for patient satisfaction. Working this long can be emotionally and psychologically draining, allowing nurses to have shorter shifts can improve their performance and also improve patient satisfaction.