Differences between fixed day shift nurses and rotating and irregular shift nurses in work‐related musculoskeletal disorders: A literature review and meta‐analysis

Objectives Work‐related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are common occupational injuries for nurses. Furthermore, rotating and irregular shift work may exacerbate muscle tension and pain in nurses. The objective of this study was to examine the differences between fixed day shift (FDS) nurses and rotating and irregular shift (RS + IS) nurses in WMSDs using a systematic literature review and meta‐analysis. Methods Databases including PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies published between 2010 and 2020 using the target keywords. Results This study obtained data on a total of 18 199 nurses, among which 12 786 comprised the RS + IS group and 5413 constituted the FDS group. The result of the heterogeneity test was Q = 79.27 (P