title: Factors associated with non-compliance during 16-hour long call shifts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Duty hour restrictions limit shift length to 16 hours during the 1(st) post-graduate year. Although many programs utilize a 16-hour "long call" admitting shift on inpatient services, compliance with the 16-hour shift length and factors responsible for extended shifts have not been well examined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the incidence of and operational factors associated with extended long call shifts and residents' perceptions of the safety and educational value of the 16-hour long call shift in a large internal medicine residency program. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS, AND MAIN MEASURES: Between August and December of 2010, residents were sent an electronic survey immediately following 16-hour long call shifts, assessing departure time and shift characteristics. We used logistic regression to identify independent predictors of extended shifts. In mid-December, all residents received a second survey to assess perceptions of the long call admitting model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two-hundred and thirty surveys were completed (95 %). Overall, 92 of 230 (40 %) shifts included ≥ 1 team member exceeding the 16-hour limit. Factors independently associated with extended shifts per 3-member team were 3-4 patients (adjusted OR 5.2, 95 % CI 1.9-14.3) and>4 patients (OR 10.6, 95 % CI 3.3-34.6) admitted within 6 hours of scheduled departure and>6 total admissions (adjusted OR 2.9, 95 % CI 1.05-8.3). Seventy-nine of 96 (82 %) residents completed the perceptions survey. Residents believed, on average, teams could admit 4.5 patients after 5 pm and 7 patients during long call shifts to ensure compliance. Regarding the long call shift, 73 % agreed it allows for safe patient care, 60 % disagreed/were neutral about working too many hours, and 53 % rated the educational value in the top 33 % of a 9-point scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compliance with the 16-hour long call shift is sensitive to total workload and workload timing factors. Knowledge of such factors should guide systems redesign aimed at achieving compliance while ensuring patient care and educational opportunities.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. gonzalojd@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Jed
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonzalo
authors.forename: Shoshana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herzig
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D039602:After-Hours Care; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D013997:Time Factors; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*