Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Occupational Health and Fitness

Running Head: Nursing Case Study
Occupational Health and Fitness
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors Note

Response to Question 1
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be observed in human body due to extreme
fatigue and tiredness which cannot be cured by taking rest or cannot defined by any
particular medical syndrome. This condition is referred as myalgic encephalomyelitis or
systemic exertion intolerance disease (Nagy-Szakalet al., 2018). This syndrome can cause
physical, emotional and physical fatigue. According to NICE, approximately 76% of the
CFS sufferers are female in UK and 85% ofthe patient population has lost their jobs due to
the syndrome (O'Connell, Nicholson, Blackman, et al. 2019.).
This syndrome reduces the activity of muscles as well as of whole body. The symptoms of
this syndrome are muscle pain, headaches, depression and anxiety, cognitive impairment,
disruption in sleep and intolerance to physical exertion. As sleep disorders, sleep apnoea and
restlessness in legs with insomnia can be observed. Anaemia, diabetes, underactive thyroids
are the major outcomes of fatigue. Additionally heart and lungs get affected by the effect of
fatigue in body. Therefore, body become unable to endure excessive stress. Chronic fatigue
syndrome affects the mental health of a person as discussed above.
If a person is facing severe level of chronic fatigue which retains his social,
emotional and physical wellbeing more than 6 moths along with postexrertional malaise and
incomplete sleep , the person can be diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Cox, and
Ariza 2019.). Additionally, multi-joints and muscle pain with swelling are some diagnostic
features of the syndrome. Tenderness in cervical or axillary lymph nodes with frequent sore
throat are some prevalent criteria of diagnosing the chronic fatigue syndrome.
This syndrome affect a person’s daily tasks and quality of life as his/ her
immunological, endocrinological, circulatory functions are being affected by the syndrome.
The sufferer can face some problems such as agitation, social isolation and unemployment as
both psychological and sociological functions got disrupted.

Response to Question 2
In the given scenario, Jane is a Veterinary Nurse , therefore she is exposed to
different zoonotic agents , aggressive animals , radiation and chemicals . According to
report, chronic fatigue syndrome is related to various infections caused by different virus
such as Epstein Barr virus, Enterovirus, human Herpes virus, Borna virus and hepatitis C
virus(Berger, 2019). Another report shows that, an individual suffering from Q fever can be
affected by Chronic Fever Syndrome. Q –fever is mainly transmitted to humans by infection
withCoxiella burnetii which are usually found in the reservoir of ruminants. The veterinary
nurses have to deal with aggressive or ill animals. In the procedure of caring theanimal,
nurses have carry them and this can cause muscle fatigue.Rotational shift patterns are
responsible for poor gastrointestinal and cardiovascular functions (Shanafeltet al., 2019).
Chronic fatigue syndrome can be a cumulative effect of the above dysfunctions. Thecase
study shows that she has to work in long working hours with rotating shift patterns.The
rotational shifts disrupts the circadian rhythm and breaks normal sleep pattern and Jane
smokes 15 cigarettes per day, which is harmful for her respiratory and nervous system.
Different physiological processes are disrupted by her strenuous professional life. Jane has
also worked in practice on call service for which she has to carry out responsibilities of five
consecutive workplaces. The practice on call service needs full time attendance with long
hours of sitting. Long hoursof sitting in one place affects the musculoskeletal system of a
person and as a result physical exertion can be observer. Rotational shift time is responsible
for high homeostatic sleep. Homeostasis sleep results in cognition impairment, increase
sleepiness, and propensity for sleep (Hengenet al., 2016). Rotational shift time breaks the
circadian regulation where misalignment of biological day and night, leads to irregular
wakefulness and sleep.