Study: Doctors Deprived Of Sleep Can Be Dangerous

A new study finds that the long hours doctors work when they are training has such a bad affect on their reflexes and responses that they may as well be drunk. That could translate into dangerous conditions for patients who are trusting these doctors with their health and welfare.

The results of the study were published in this week's edition of the 'Journal of the American Medical Association.'

The study found that those residents and interns on a 'heavy call' schedule which includes a work week of 90 hours, performed worse on driving simulation tests than those doctors who worked a 'light call' schedule of 44 hours per week and then drank enough alcohol to have their blood level reach 0.05. In most states, drivers are considered legally drunk at a blood alcohol level of 0.08.

New rules have been enacted since 2003 to prevent doctors from working more than 80 hours per week during their internships and residencies.

'Residents must be aware of post-call performance impairment and the potential risk to personal and patient safety,' explained the leader of the study, Todd Arnedt of the University of Michigan.

'Because sleepy residents may have limited ability to recognize the degree to which they are impaired, residency programs should consider these risks when designing work schedules and develop risk management strategies for residents, such as considering alternative call schedules or providing post-call napping quarters,' Arnedt wrote.

The bottom line for patients: you better hope that your physician doesn't need to sleep on the job.