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Shift Happens: Emergency Physician Perspectives on Fatigue and Shift Work
Zachary Klinefelter1, Emily L Hirsh2, Thomas W Britt3
1Aptima, Inc., Woburn, MA 01801, USA.
Clocks & Sleep
|April 24, 2023
Summary
Emergency physicians (EPs) experience significant fatigue due to demanding work conditions. Many EPs perceive fatigue as inevitable, impacting their well-being and job performance.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Occupational health
- Psychology
Background:
- Shift work is associated with sleep disturbances and fatigue.
- Limited research exists on fatigue experienced by emergency physicians (EPs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore emergency physicians' perceptions of workplace fatigue.
- To understand the unique aspects of fatigue in emergency medicine.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study utilizing virtual interviews.
- Semi-structured interviews with 20 EPs from an academic medical center.
- Analysis of nine open-ended questions to identify common themes.
Main Results:
- Four main themes emerged: sources of fatigue (work/home), consequences of fatigue (individual/performance), coping strategies, and perceived inevitability.
- EPs attribute fatigue to high cognitive load, emotional demands, unpredictability, and 24/7 schedules.
- EPs integrate fatigue into their professional identity, leading to learned helplessness.
Conclusions:
- EPs' fatigue experiences align with but also exceed those of other shift workers.
- Findings suggest a need for interventions addressing the perceived inevitability of fatigue and learned helplessness in EPs.
- Future research should focus on developing targeted support for EPs facing chronic fatigue.
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