title: Resident Work Hour Restrictions and Change Management: A Cautionary Tale.
abstract: Residents are a significant part of coverage in many hospitals. Resident associations are negotiating work hour limits to prevent fatigue-induced medical errors. Our intensive care unit experienced an unexpected resident shortage and used the opportunity to trial a shift schedule for one month. Post-surveys were sent to nurses, attending physicians and residents to evaluate the effects on staff interactions, patient safety and education quality. The trial was clearly a failure on all fronts. Work hour restrictions are a reality in medical education, and administrators need to start considering alternative staffing models and discussing alternative schedules with their medicine faculty.
authors.affiliation: Z. Amy Fang, MD, is a member of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
authors.forename: Z Amy
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Member of the Division of Critical Care, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta.
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hudson
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D061214:Patient Safety; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload