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Table 4 Resident Perceptions of Fatigue, Medical Errors, and Relation to Duty Hours

From: Perceptions of the 2011 ACGME duty hour requirements among residents in all core programs at a large academic medical center

Survey Question

Respondents, No. (%)

I believe the current ACGME standards help reduce resident fatigue (n = 385)

 Strongly agree

61 (16)

 Agree

248 (64)

 Disagree

66 (17)

 Strongly disagree

10 (3)

I believe that I can consistently tell when fatigue is adversely affecting my clinical performance (n = 386)

 Strongly agree

52 (13)

 Agree

221 (57)

 Disagree

102 (26)

 Strongly disagree

11 (3)

I believe that my resident colleagues can consistently tell when fatigue is adversely affecting their clinical performance (n = 388)

 Strongly agree

22 (6)

 Agree

234 (60)

 Disagree

120 (31)

 Strongly disagree

12 (3)

I believe the ACGME duty hour rules decrease the frequency of residents performing clinical duties while fatigued (n = 387)

Strongly agree

38 (10)

Agree

250 (65)

Disagree

85 (22)

Strongly disagree

14 (4)

I believe the current ACGME standards ______ medical errors (n = 390)

 Markedly increase

15 (4)

 Increase

61 (16)

 Do not effect

171 (44)

 Decrease

126 (32)

 Markedly decrease

17 (4)

I believe the current ACGME standards __________ patient familiarity and continuity of care (n = 389)

 Markedly increase

7 (2)

 Increase

26 (7)

 Do not effect

116 (30)

 Decrease

192 (49)

 Markedly decrease

48 (12)

I believe that resident fatigue contributes to adverse events (n = 390)

 Strongly agree

112 (29)

 Agree

235 (60)

 Disagree

39 (10)

 Strongly disagree

4 (1)

I believe that patient handovers contribute to adverse events (n = 390)

 Strongly agree

113 (29)

 Agree

237 (61)

 Disagree

38 (10)

 Strongly disagree

2 (1)

Regarding the contribution of fatigue and handovers to adverse events, which of the following do you believe contribute more significantly to adverse events? (n = 389)

 Fatigue

105 (27)

 Handovers

158 (41)

 Both contribute equally

121 (31)

 Neither contribute

5 (1)

During my training, I have made an error in patient care at the conclusion of an extended shift (>24 h) (n = 387)

 Yes

80 (21)

 No

307 (79)

If so, did the error result in patient harm? (n = 100)

 Yes

10 (10)

 No

90 (90)

During my training, I have been involved in a motor vehicle collision or potentially life-threatening event while leaving the hospital after an extended shift (>24 h) (n = 387)

 Yes

16 (4)

 No

371 (96)

  1. Abbreviation: ACGME Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education