title: A Consult Is Just a Page Away: A Prospective Observational Study on the Impact of Jinxing on Call Karma in Neurosurgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to assess the impact of jinxing on "call karma" in neurosurgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective observational study on 15 residents on call for the neurosurgery service, recording the total number of admissions, consults, deaths encountered, surgeries performed, hours of sleep and subjective call rating on a numeric rating scale (NRS) of 0-10 in terms of general awfulness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some 204 on-call nightshifts were analyzed, of which 61 (29.9%) were jinxed and 143 (70.1%) were nonjinxed. Jinxes seemed to occur in clusters. The baseline parameters (experience, type of call coverage and superstition level) of the study groups were well balanced. A trend toward more surgeries was observed during jinxed nights, where residents slept significantly less (mean 147.8±96.2 vs. 180.9±106.1 min, p=0.037) and rated their on-call experience worse on the NRS (4.4±2.2 vs. 3.5±2.0, p=0.011), while there was no significant difference in number of admissions, consults or deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The act of jinxing ought to be avoided in the neurosurgical setting, as it might be potentially harmful to resident call karma, irrespective of level of experience, resources and personal beliefs.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences,Division of Neurosurgery,London Health Sciences Centre,University Hospital,London,Ontario,Canada.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3540-3910
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joswig
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences,Division of Neurosurgery,London Health Sciences Centre,University Hospital,London,Ontario,Canada.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zarnett
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences,Division of Neurosurgery,London Health Sciences Centre,University Hospital,London,Ontario,Canada.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Steven
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurosurgery,University Hospital Zurich,Zurich,Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Stienen
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000523:psychology*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012892:Sleep Deprivation; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance
keywords: Call karma; jinx; neurosurgery; superstition