THIS IS AN ONLINE ACTIVITY. Hard copies are not available.
As anesthesiologists, we take care of patients whenever they need surgery, and must therefore work at night. Long duty periods and overnight call shifts degrade our vigilance, hinder our ability to make decisions, affect our ability to perform procedures, and impair our alertness and mood. Mitigating the effects of fatigue, sleep inertia, and circadian misalignment requires first that we understand the relationship between work schedules, fatigue, and job performance. Specific countermeasures such as strategic naps, ?microbreaks,? and caffeine can help to offset the negative effects of fatigue, while bright lights in the operating room or light boxes (when the room lights must be turned off) can increase our alertness late at night. This presentation will review the physiology of fatigue, discuss how overnight call and long shifts can affect patient safety and physician health, and then offer practical steps that can be used by every anesthesiologist who works overnight.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program® and MOCA® are registered certification marks of The American Board of Anesthesiology®
This activity contributes to the patient safety CME requirement for Part II: Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment of the American Board of Anesthesiology’s (ABA) redesigned Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology Program® (MOCA®), known as MOCA 2.0™. Please consult the ABA website, www.theABA.org, for a list of all MOCA 2.0 requirements.
Disclaimer: The information provided at this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient's medical condition.
Activity Release Date: 2/6/19
Activity Expiration Date: 2/7/22