Surgeons' stress from surgery and night duty: a multi-institutional study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Surgical Stress Physiology
• Medical Human Factors

Background:

• Surgeons experience considerable stress from demanding work schedules and surgical procedures.
• Understanding the physiological and psychological impact of surgical stress is crucial for maintaining surgeon well-being and patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the stress levels experienced by surgeons during and after surgical procedures.
• To assess the impact of night duty on surgeon stress, arousal, and sleep patterns.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 66 Japanese surgeons across university and community hospitals.
• Utilized subjective assessments (NASA Task Load Index, Stress Arousal Checklist) and objective urine biopyrin analysis.
• Correlated surgical factors (duration, blood loss) and night duty with measured stress and arousal indicators.

Main Results:

• Increased surgical duration and blood loss correlated with higher Task Load Index scores.
• Urine biopyrin levels rose significantly with longer surgery duration and after night duty, indicating physiological stress.
• Night duty led to reduced sleep time and decreased arousal levels the following day.

Conclusions:

• Surgical procedures are a significant source of stress for surgeons.
• Night duty negatively affects surgeon arousal and performance during subsequent daytime shifts, highlighting the need for work hour regulation.