title: Do paramedics make an effort not to transport at the end of their shifts?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if paramedics sign off more patients in the last hour of their shifts and if there is a correlation with the shifts' lengths.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of EMS run report data derived from a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system. The last 200 eight-hour, 12-hour and 16-hour shifts (600 total shifts) in which there was at least one call for service in the last hour were reviewed. Transport/sign-off data were categorized and statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were not more patients signed off on any shift during the last hour. There was a statistically significantly smaller number of patients signed off in all phases of the eight-hour shifts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreasing shift lengths to eight hours will significantly reduce the number of patient sign-offs and result in less potential liability.
authors.affiliation: Allina Medical Transportation, Public Safety Department, Woodbury, MN, USA.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Caulkins
mesh_terms: D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States