Resident work hours

OB/GYN News, Nov 15, 2005 by Mary Ellen Schneider

Resident work hour restrictions have improved residents' satisfaction with their personal lives but not with their work, according to a study published online in the September issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. Researchers surveyed a total of 10 current and 25 graduated ob.gyn. residents at a Cleveland medical center that implemented resident work hour changes a full year before the requirement went into effect in 2003.

Current and former residents reported that their sleep while not on call did not change with the reforms, suggesting that residents were spending the extra 6 hours each week on other outside activities. In addition, residents reported sleeping an average of 1 hour less (from 3 to 2 hours) while on call. "While employers clearly have no control over employees' amount of sleep outside work, residents should be informed of the evidence of how fatigue affects performance and should be encouraged to obtain enough sleep when not on duty," the authors wrote.