Doctors’ working hours during the internship are precisely defined and respected. Unfortunately, this type of restriction is not respected for physicians who complete their education. According to the authors of the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, sleepy doctors should not perform elective surgeries without the patient’s written consent.
According to European Union regulations, a doctor may work no longer than 48 hours without a break – unfortunately, these regulations are not universally respected, which results in the care of patients by sleepy, exhausted doctors. According to studies, lack of sleep impairs psychomotor performance in a similar way to alcohol poisoning.
In a 2009 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was shown that sleepy surgeons (who sleep less than 6 hours the previous day) significantly increase the risk of complications in patients undergoing the so-called planned daytime operations. The matter is made worse by the fact that people who are sleepy are often unable to properly assess their abilities. The authors of the study also showed that the majority of patients waiting for elective surgery would prefer to be operated by well-rested surgeons.
According to the authors of the study, it is the duty of hospitals and health care institutions to ensure safety and the best possible care for patients, and doctors do not guarantee such sleeplessness. Some hospitals are trying to deal with this problem, but so far little has been done. Planned operations are not an emergency and do not require saving the patient’s life – therefore they can be postponed and patients can be treated by well-rested surgeons.
In addition, according to the authors of the study, a provision should be introduced to inform the patient waiting for the planned surgery in writing about the lack of sleep of the doctor and the need to obtain a written consent of the surgeon to perform the procedure. (PAP)