Doctors' Working Lives News
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Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Have a break...
Poll results: What impact will MMC have on service?
No impact: 0%
Minor effects which can be absorbed: 11%
Significant effects which will require considerable restructuring: 67%
Serious effects which may not be manageable: 22%
Significant restructuring, eh? That'll make a nice change. (I didn't add "significant investment", as the response would be fairly easy to predict....)
New poll: Do you take your natural breaks?
A recent survey by a law firm shows that most employees work through their lunch hour. Average daytime breaks are down to 30 mins (from 55 mins in 2002) and employees take breaks on average just two days a week. What's more, 72% believe taking a lunch break has little effect on afternoon performance. Some doctors also complain that "natural breaks" are unrealistic and/or unnecessary, but they're an integral part of New Deal and EWTD.
So, do you take your breaks? And do you think it's important to take a lunch break? Vote now!
Accommodation for postcall and night shift doctors
With NHS Employers and the BMA renegotiating accommodation requirements for junior doctors, the following news items are worth noting.
A Chicago hospital is being sued over a car crash after a tired doctor hit a 23-year-old woman while driving home, causing her permanent disability. The doctor had been on call for 36 hours. Meanwhile a University of Sweden study has demonstrated "severe postnight shift effects on sleepiness and driving performance" (J Sleep Res 2005;14(1):17-20)
However, when it comes to sleeping on night shifts, a University of Zurich study supports the evidence of sleep inertia after a 2 hour nap period. Sleep inertia is commonly said to occur after deep sleep, which can start after 30 minutes, but SI has certainly been demonstrated after 2 hour naps. This suggests that long naps while on night shift can present a risk to patient care, as doctors responding to emergencies may not be fit to work if they've just got up.
The discussion on PRHO accommodation is still ongoing in the forum. All opinions/advice welcome!
Reduced hours - impact on surgeons
An RCS survey reports that the EWTD "has seriously compromised surgical training" (RxPG News). (See also the BMJ report on this survey.) But in the blue corner, US research suggests that work hours reform doesn't reduce operative volume of chief residents (JAMA Archives of Surgery).
In other news:
Great report on H@N in the Scotsman
Medicine & surgery - possible overlaps in training and interaction (BMJ Career Focus)
Tips on making the most of routine work (BMJ Career Focus)
Correspondence on Landrigan research (NEJM)
Post traumatic stress disorder in doctors (BMJ Career Focus)
Medical students in Ireland to log doctors' hours (Irish Health)
Mass response to article on overseas doctors (BMJ Career Focus)
Push for extra medical students in US - but also questions over whether they're necessary (AMedNews)
Ouch! Letter to AMedNews - why the physician is "captain of the ship"
US med school given $1.9m bequest "to teach bedside manner" (AMedNews)
For those of you who haven't had a break yet today... why not have a nice cup of tea and a sit down?
No impact: 0%
Minor effects which can be absorbed: 11%
Significant effects which will require considerable restructuring: 67%
Serious effects which may not be manageable: 22%
Significant restructuring, eh? That'll make a nice change. (I didn't add "significant investment", as the response would be fairly easy to predict....)
New poll: Do you take your natural breaks?
A recent survey by a law firm shows that most employees work through their lunch hour. Average daytime breaks are down to 30 mins (from 55 mins in 2002) and employees take breaks on average just two days a week. What's more, 72% believe taking a lunch break has little effect on afternoon performance. Some doctors also complain that "natural breaks" are unrealistic and/or unnecessary, but they're an integral part of New Deal and EWTD.
So, do you take your breaks? And do you think it's important to take a lunch break? Vote now!
Accommodation for postcall and night shift doctors
With NHS Employers and the BMA renegotiating accommodation requirements for junior doctors, the following news items are worth noting.
A Chicago hospital is being sued over a car crash after a tired doctor hit a 23-year-old woman while driving home, causing her permanent disability. The doctor had been on call for 36 hours. Meanwhile a University of Sweden study has demonstrated "severe postnight shift effects on sleepiness and driving performance" (J Sleep Res 2005;14(1):17-20)
However, when it comes to sleeping on night shifts, a University of Zurich study supports the evidence of sleep inertia after a 2 hour nap period. Sleep inertia is commonly said to occur after deep sleep, which can start after 30 minutes, but SI has certainly been demonstrated after 2 hour naps. This suggests that long naps while on night shift can present a risk to patient care, as doctors responding to emergencies may not be fit to work if they've just got up.
The discussion on PRHO accommodation is still ongoing in the forum. All opinions/advice welcome!
Reduced hours - impact on surgeons
An RCS survey reports that the EWTD "has seriously compromised surgical training" (RxPG News). (See also the BMJ report on this survey.) But in the blue corner, US research suggests that work hours reform doesn't reduce operative volume of chief residents (JAMA Archives of Surgery).
In other news:
Great report on H@N in the Scotsman
Medicine & surgery - possible overlaps in training and interaction (BMJ Career Focus)
Tips on making the most of routine work (BMJ Career Focus)
Correspondence on Landrigan research (NEJM)
Post traumatic stress disorder in doctors (BMJ Career Focus)
Medical students in Ireland to log doctors' hours (Irish Health)
Mass response to article on overseas doctors (BMJ Career Focus)
Push for extra medical students in US - but also questions over whether they're necessary (AMedNews)
Ouch! Letter to AMedNews - why the physician is "captain of the ship"
US med school given $1.9m bequest "to teach bedside manner" (AMedNews)
For those of you who haven't had a break yet today... why not have a nice cup of tea and a sit down?
This site is maintained by Ellie Pattinson. All rights reserved. This website is maintained independently of the NHS and the views expressed are not necessarily a reflection of the views of that organisation. For any queries, contributions or amendments, please email me on admin@idwl.info.
