Chalor Puriansil. Cognitive response of long period surgical resident work . Master's Degree(Industrial Hygiene and Safety). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2006.
Cognitive response of long period surgical resident work
Abstract:
This research is cross sectional to examine the effects of long hours work on
the cognitive function of surgical residents. A sample group of 50 surgical residents
from Ramathibodi hospital, were chosen, their prevalence rate of reducing cognitive
function score was 80%. The residents working on-call hours per week was 139.65
hours, median shift length was 85 consecutive hours, mean workload was 16.95 hours
a day and the age limit was at 29 years. Evaluation of research results was to assess
cognitive function test scores during pre-call and post-call by 3 psychiatric sub-tests,
namely, Digit Span, Digit Symbol, Stroop Test. The data collected from interviews
was analyzed to rule out relations among all factors possibly causing a decrease of the
cognitive function test score.
Research findings reveal that there was a significant decrease of cognitive
function test scores in terms of memory, attention, reaction time and executive
function after a night on-call duty. Moreover, after night on –call duty, subjects were
prone to be drowsy under non-stimuli circumstances with significant implications.
Workload, total work hours, total surgery, department of work, sleep hours during on
duty and sleep efficiency had significant effects on the decrease of the cognitive
function test scores. The relation between the factors of stress scores, shift length, age,
work experience, academic year and hospitals before residency program and decrease
of cognitive function was not significant.
Based on the findings, it is recommended that firstly the number of total work
hours, workload and total surgery should be reduced. Secondly efficient sleep and the
number of sleeping hours during on call should be increased. Lastly, night on-call duty
rosters should be improved to promote work quality and health of practitioners.