Staff and resident perceptions on the introduction of a team based multi-specialty resident night shift system

Abstract

Objectives To determine the perceptions of staff and resident physicians on the impact of implementation of a new team based multi-specialty resident night shift system. Methods An electronic survey was distributed anonymously to all resident physicians in the Core Internal Medicine residency program at the University of Alberta. A similar survey was distributed to staff physicians in the 4 specialties impacted by this new system: hematology, respirology, nephrology and gastroenterology. Results 74 physicians completed the survey. A majority of respondents (67%) indicated the new system was a positive change. Most shared it was better than traditional 1 in 4 call (65%), with resident physicians appreciating the team based nature of the system (65%), and just more than half of residents (55%) indicating this system improved their overall wellness. Most respondents (78%) did not feel the additional handover required had a negative impact. Respondents indicated daytime teaching and feedback improved as a result of this system (52%) with most others indicating it had no impact, although overnight feedback remained a challenge. Conclusion The implementation of this new team based system was well accepted by both staff and resident physicians across a number of domains. Future study is required to determine its impact on access and quality of care.

Analysis of the medical residency matching algorithm to validate and improve equity

“…Though virtual interviews may mitigate their high cost of travel and time, the majority of medical students and residents still prefer in-person interviews but feel that virtual interviews should be retained as an option in some circumstances [ 35 ]. Utilization of a team night shift system instead of the traditional one in four nights call may improve resident well-being and daytime teaching and feedback [ 36 ]. Covid-19 has had a direct personal impact on resident’s specialty choice due to concerns about frontline work, work-life balance, and risk of harm [ 37 ].…”

Burnout and fatigue amongst internal medicine residents: A cross-sectional study on the impact of alternative scheduling models on resident wellness

“…Specifically, how the introduction of two to four weeks of night float per resident per year may eliminate several months of 1-in-4 call, with an overall impact of reducing post-call time, increasing daytime learning and attending physician exposure throughout the remainder of the year. A previous assessment of resident and attending perceptions of the implementation of night float in internal medicine has supported this concept [ 47 ].…”