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Study: Shorter shifts reduces residents’ attentional failures

Residency Program Insider, February 23, 2021

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Resident who work shifts of 16 hours or less had fewer attentional failures, faster reaction time, and were more alert than those who worked longer shifts, according to a study published in Pediatrics.

Researchers analyzed data from a multicenter clinical trial of nearly 300 residents from six U.S. pediatric intensive care units. For four weeks, some residents were on an extended-duration work roster (EDWR) with shifts of 24 or more hours every third or fourth shift. The other residents were on a rapid cycling work roster (RCWR) with shifts of 16 hours or less.

Residents on the RCWR were found to have a mean number of attentional failures that was significantly lower than residents on the EDWR, as well as lower sleepiness rating based on the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and faster mean reaction time based on the Psychomotor Vigilance Task test.

Source: Pediatrics

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