Original reportLimiting PGY 1 Residents to 16 Hours of Duty: Review and Report of a Workshop
Section snippets
Background
The death of Libby Zion in 1984 set off a series of events that led ultimately to the formation of the Bell Commission in New York State in 1989; subsequently, New York State adopted the 80-hour workweek, with the restriction of the work shift to 24 consecutive hours, with 3 additional hours for handoff followed by a mandatory period of 8 hours off duty.1 In 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandated somewhat similar work-hour restrictions for all residents
The Workshop
In anticipation of the implementation of the new work-hour restrictions for PGY 1 residents, we conducted a workshop at the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts on March 25, 2011. The workshop entitled “Brainstorming on how to deal with the effects of the maximum 16 hour work shift for the PGY 1 surgical resident” attracted approximately 50 programs directors, residency program coordinators, and residents. The group reported preparing for
Outcomes
Shortly after our workshop, a complete systemic review in the British Medical Journal concluded that the reduction of duty hours had limited impact on postgraduate training and minimal effect on patient outcomes in the United States.21
The workshop group agreed collectively that in trying to improve the handoff system, we should learn from others (such as those in the aviation industry), by emphasizing efficiency, safety, and education. The handoff should be both written and oral, and it should
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