Adding Nocturnal Advanced Practice Providers to an Academic Inpatient Neurology Service Improves Residents'...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neurology
• Advanced Practice Providers

Background:

• Increased clinical demand in academic medical centers can overload trainees.
• Academic medical centers face challenges in balancing service demands with resident education.
• The impact of trainee workload on educational experiences requires careful consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) on neurology resident education and workload.
• To test the hypothesis that adding APPs improves resident educational experiences by reducing overnight clinical duties.
• To assess the effect of APPs on resident sleep, workload, and burnout.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods, prospective study incorporating resident needs assessments, interviews, and surveys.
• Quantitative data collection included resident sleep hours, patient admissions, and pages.
• Qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews with residents and APPs.

Main Results:

• Median resident sleep increased from 1 to 3 hours overnight (P < .001).
• Median overnight pages decreased from 31.5 to 17 (P < .001), and cross-covered patients reduced from 24 to 14 (P < .001).
• 94% of residents found APPs beneficial for education; 88% reported improved quality of life and reduced burnout risk.

Conclusions:

• Advanced Practice Providers significantly alleviate resident workload during overnight shifts.
• The integration of APPs enhances the educational experience for neurology residents.
• APPs contribute to improved resident well-being and reduced burnout.