Studies: shorter shifts for interns fail to decrease medical errors

Two new studies show that shorter hours for interns does not necessarily mean fewer medical mistakes.

2013-04-26

April 26, 2013 (Press-News.org) When a medical student graduates and begins his or her internship, long hours are part of the deal. Until recent years, these interns had to work up to 36 hours straight. Because of the long hours, regulators decided to reduce their shifts to 16 hours in 2011. Regulators reasoned that the interns were tired and overworked and were making medical errors as a result.

Although it flies in the face of reason, the medical regulators were mistaken, according to two recent studies published in JAMA Internal Medicine. The studies found that the shorter shifts did not lead to fewer medical errors. On the contrary, the number of errors increased.

In the first study, researchers from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor surveyed 2,300 physicians at 12 hospital systems. Every three months, the physicians responded to a survey. The results were compared with a similar survey of interns conducted before the shorter shift rules went into effect.

The study found that before shorter shifts were instituted in 2010, 19.9 percent of interns said that they made an error that resulted in patient harm. However, after the shorter shift regulations went into effect, the percentage increased to 23.3 percent. About half of the errors that the interns admitted to were medication errors. The other half consisted of failures to diagnose, incorrect treatments and procedural or surgical errors.

The researchers theorized that the errors increased due to the fact that the interns had to do the same amount of work in a shorter time period. In addition, the shorter shifts compressed the interns' workday so much that much-needed downtime, where the interns could have a break from the day's toils, was reduced.

The second study by Johns Hopkins University echoed similar results. The study found that the shorter shifts did not increase the amount of sleep each intern got over the long run. Additionally, the study found that the shorter shifts reduced the amount of training each intern received. Finally, the shorter shifts did not always allow interns to see patients' treatment through to conclusion, forcing them to handoff cases to other interns. Researchers speculate that all three of these factors would increase the risk of medical errors.

Consult a medical malpractice attorney

Since the shorter shift regulations were enacted recently, it is possible that the mindset of the health care system has not yet adjusted to the new ways. Whatever the reason for the increase in errors, if you have been injured by a medical error, it may constitute medical malpractice.

Under Arizona law, victims of malpractice are entitled to recover compensation. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can ensure that your right to compensation is protected.

Article provided by Law Offices of Raymond J. Slomski, P.C.
Visit us at www.slomskilaw.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Technology could help teens stay safe while driving

2013-04-26

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, injuries from car crashes are by far the leading cause of death among people in the U.S. between the ages of 13 and 19. In 2010, the last year for which statistics are available, a total of 3,115 teenagers died in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. The IIHS identifies driver immaturity and inexperience as the primary reasons why the car crash death rate among teenagers is so high. Immaturity leads to risky behaviors such as speeding, while inexperience makes it difficult for young drivers to identify potential hazards ...

Options for paying for long-term and nursing home care in Connecticut

2013-04-26

Typically, people needing long-term medical care have three payment options; they must pay for care through private funds, long-term care insurance or Medicaid. Medicaid is a state run insurance program partially funded by the federal government. Connecticut's Medicaid program, also known as Title 19, covers low-income and low-asset residents who need long-term or nursing home care. Traditional medical insurance and Medicare generally do not pay for long-term care. While long-term care insurance may be an option, such insurance and its affordability depend upon the health, ...

The basics of New York child custody

2013-04-26

New York's family courts handle thousands of child custody cases annually. Anyone involved in a contested custody case should have a basic understanding of how the custody process works in order to make the navigation through the court system as painless as possible. An overview The blanket term "child custody" actually describes two very different types of custody, both of which have an exceedingly important role in the child's life. Physical custody, for instance, deals with where the child physically resides. Physical custody is most often either full-time ...

Tools to help avoid traffic accidents for young drivers

2013-04-26

According to the CDC, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle accidents remain the top cause of death for teenagers in the United States. In 2010 an estimated seven teenagers died every day from injuries received while in a car crash. Although these numbers are grim, there are steps that can be taken to help reduce a teenager's risk of involvement in a car accident. Who is at risk? The CDC notes that teen drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash than drivers over the age of 20. Teen drivers include those aged ...

Swimming pool drowning takes two lives too early

2013-04-26

In mid-April 2013, two young Long Island siblings tragically lost their lives after drowning in a neighbor's backyard pool. As summer approaches and hot days spent playing in the water lie ahead, it is important to understand and follow New York's pool safety requirements to help protect against terrible drowning accidents. Pool accident strikes Long Island According to reports by News 12 Long Island and the New York Post, on the afternoon of April 14, 2013, a mother called the police to report that her two children, a 5-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter, were ...

Texas man did not obtain a proper divorce and was married to two women

2013-04-26

A Texas man found himself in a lot of trouble this month when it was discovered he was married to two women at the same time. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the 38-year-old man married his childhood sweetheart in 2004 and surprised her in 2009 by telling her over the phone that he wanted a divorce. He had her sign divorce documents that he had completed online and he moved out of the marital home located in Arlington. The man filed the divorce petition with the court on October 16, 2009, and less than three hours later married another woman who lived in Grapevine, ...

Shorter resident shifts may in fact increase medical errors, studies say

2013-04-26

According to two studies recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, attempts to reduce long work hours among medical residents in order to improve patient safety may actually increase the risk of medical errors in teaching hospitals - which is contrary to what many may have expected. Given the several teaching hospitals here in Philadelphia-area, these studies may provide helpful guidance to hospital administrators attempting to reduce medical errors in their own facilities. Impact of resident shift length to medical errors Specifically, ...

Study finds driver fatigue underestimated, major cause of auto accidents

2013-04-26

Media reports of increasing auto accidents due to distracted driving behaviors like texting while driving are everywhere today. Although the problems with mobile use behind the wheel are accurate and alarming, a new study, however, shows that another driving behavior may be just as problematic--driver fatigue. The study on driver fatigue With help from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a study was recently conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on driver fatigue and revealed that fatigued driving is among the leading causes of ...

Distracted drivers still find it hard to kick the electronic habit

2013-04-26

With all the media attention focused on the dangers of distracted driving, one might expect that drivers have taken the message to heart and have decided to put away their cellphones while driving -- both for their own safety as well as others'. However, recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that an alarmingly high number of drivers continue to use electronic devices behind the wheel, significantly increasing the risk of a dangerous distracted driving accident. Distracted driver statistics The NHTSA's National Occupant Protection ...

Texas Injury Attorneys Mo Aziz and Curtis Wayne Lucas Ready To Help Seek Justice For Those Seriously Injured In West Fertilizer Plant Explosion

2013-04-26

Texas attorneys Mo Aziz of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend located in Houston, Texas and Curtis Wayne Lucas of the Law Office of Whitney Fanning located in Waco, Texas are helping one victim of the recent West, Texas tragedy seek justice for permanent injuries caused by the fertilizer plant explosion. The Waco, Texas man and his girlfriend were visiting a friend in West when the industrial explosion rocked the small Texas town. The couple was at the apartment complex nearest to the fertilizer plant when the blast occurred. The man, who was standing ...

The Lancet: Plastic pollution is an underrecognised threat to health, experts warn as they launch a project to track plastics’ health impacts and monitor progress

The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics to track impact of plastic production and pollution on human health

Announcing The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics

Study unexpectedly finds living in rural, rather than urban environments in first five years of life could be a risk factor for developing type 1 diabetes

Studies: shorter shifts for interns fail to decrease medical errors

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: