The impact of residents' work-hour restrictions.
Graduate medical education continues to deal with multiple stressors. The new work-hour regulations only add to the program directors' and department chairs' difficulty of ensuring adequate educational, didactic, and clinical training for the residents. Appropriately, patient safety has been a concern in the discussion pertaining to resident work hours. Ensuring that the training of our residents is adequate prior to their entering practice will also have a direct impact on patient safety. In this article, areas of concern are identified, and ways of continuing to evaluate and document the adequacy of resident training are proposed.
Lawrence
Hal C
HC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mountain Area Health Education Center, 93 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801, USA. hall@mtn.ncahec.org
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration; D016387:Women's Health; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000523:psychology*; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology