Limiting Work Shifts to 16 Hours Improves Physicians’ Neurobehavioral Performance, Study Finds

A new study has found that work rosters that limit shifts to 16 consecutive hours improved on-shift neurobehavioral performance of resident physicians compared to extended duration (more than 24 hours) work rosters. “Extended Work Shifts and Neurobehavioral Performance in Resident–Physicians,” which will be published in the March 2021 issue of Pediatrics (published online Feb. 22), adds to the growing body of evidence that sleep deprivation, particularly via shifts lasting longer than 16 hours, has a detrimental effect on physician performance and patient safety. The study, which used a cluster-randomized crossover clinical trial across six U.S. pediatric intensive care units, found that eliminating 24-28 hour extended duration work rosters and scheduling 16-hour maximum work shifts improved neurobehavioral performance and reduced sleepiness in resident-physicians over a 4-week PICU rotation, particularly overnight.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.