Longer resident duty hours don’t affect patient safety

Editor's Note

The flexibility for surgical residents to work longer shifts than currently allowed or take less time off between shifts to provide continuity of care was not associated with a greater risk of postoperative patient complications or death, a new study finds.

There was also no significant difference in residents’ satisfaction with their overall well-being and quality of training when less restrictive work hour policies were implemented.

The study, which included 117 general surgery residency programs and 151 hospitals, is the first national randomized trial of resident duty hour policies, the authors say.