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Laparoscopic skills and cognitive function are not affected in surgeons during a night shift
Ilda Amirian1, Lærke T Andersen1, Jacob Rosenberg1
1Department of Surgery, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark.
Journal of Surgical Education
|May 13, 2014
Summary
This study found that 17-hour night shifts did not negatively impact surgeon performance. Despite reduced sleep and increased sleepiness, surgical skills and attention remained unaffected during on-call periods.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Training
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Night shifts and sleep deprivation are common in surgical residency.
- Assessing the impact of these shifts on surgeon performance is crucial for patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of a 17-hour night shift on surgeons' psychomotor and cognitive functions.
- To monitor sleep patterns and sleepiness levels during on-call shifts.
Main Methods:
- 30 surgeons underwent performance and cognition tests (laparoscopic simulation, d2 test of attention) before and during a 17-hour on-call shift.
- Sleep was monitored using wrist actigraphy, and sleepiness was assessed with the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale.
Main Results:
- Surgeons experienced significantly less sleep and increased sleepiness during on-call shifts.
- No significant decline in psychomotor performance (laparoscopic simulation) was observed.
- Cognitive performance, measured by the d2 test of attention, showed significant improvement on call.
Conclusions:
- A 17-hour night shift, despite causing sleep deprivation and increased sleepiness, did not impair surgeons' psychomotor or cognitive performance.
- Further research may explore the resilience of surgical skills under fatigue.
