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- Title
Effects of Fatigue on Driving Safety: A Comparison of Brake Reaction Times in Night Float and Postcall Physicians in Training.
- Authors
TALUSAN, PAUL G.; LONG, THEODORE; HALIM, ANDREA; GULIANI, LAURA; CARROLL, NICOLE; REACH, JOHN
- Abstract
Background: Concerns about duty hour and resident safety have fostered discussion about postshift fatigue and driving impairment. Objective We assessed how converting to a night float schedule for overnight coverage affected driving safety for trainees. Methods: Brake reaction times were measured for internal medicine and orthopaedic surgery resident volunteers after a traditional 28-hour call shift and after a night float shift. We conducted matched paired t tests of preshift and postshift reaction time means. Participants also completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale pre- and postshift. Results: From June to July 2013, we enrolled 58 interns and residents (28 orthopaedic surgery, 30 internal medicine). We included 24 (41%) trainees on night float rotations and 34 (59%) trainees on traditional 28-hour call shifts. For all residents on night float rotations, there was no significant difference pre- and postshift. An increase in reaction times was noted among trainees on 28-hour call rotations. This included no effect on reaction times for internal medicine trainees pre- and postshift, and an increase in reaction times for orthopaedic trainees. For both night float and traditional call groups, there were significant increases in the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Conclusions: Trainees on traditional 28-hour call rotations had significantly worse postshift brake reaction times, whereas trainees on night float rotations had no difference. Orthopaedic trainees had significant differences in brake reaction times after a traditional call shift.
- Subjects
TRAFFIC safety; FATIGUE (Physiology); INTERNAL medicine
- Publication
Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2014, Vol 6, Issue 4, p653
- ISSN
1949-8349
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.4300/JGME-D-14-00006.1