Public wants 16-hour shifts for residents

Editor's Note

A total of 86% of general public respondents to a national survey want 16-hour shifts for first-year residents to remain, and 80% support dropping the maximum shift limit for second-year residents and above from 28 hours to 16 hours.

The survey was conducted by Public Citizen, an independent polling company, to gauge the public’s attitude towards pressure from physician organizations to soften restrictions and allow residents to work 28 or more consecutive hours.

Respondents also said they believe patients should be told if the resident treating them has worked more than 16 hours without rest.