How Long Work Hours Practice are killing Doctors?

Medical profession is considered as one of the busiest one in the society. So, time management has been always a matter of concerns for Doctors. Several Clinic studies shows that, Doctors undergoing long work hours are leading causes of accidents and killings. Resident Doctors often have to undergo working shifts of 36 – 48 hours. In Emergency wards of Private Hospitals Doctors work for 8-10 hours at a stretch including consultation and surgeries.

It is also commonly observed that Senior Consultants or Teaching Professors are not on duty after 5 – 6 pm in emergency operation theaters and wards. Usually ICUs are left with sole responsibility to the Resident Doctors only. However, the rules say that, Senior Consultants must report to the concerned Hospitals in grave emergencies. But, it is a matter of concern that, senior residents are rarely seen in a Hospital after midnight. If we take a look on the Doctor jobs in India of Private Hospital, one can easily find Senior Consultants on duty in ICUs & Surgical wards through the night. From the alarming finding a landmark study published in the NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) 2005, reveals that, inhumanly long hours and high stress environment on Resident Doctors and their Patients.

The study by the Harvard Work Hours Health & Safety groups found that resident Doctors made 35.9% more serious mistakes during 24 work hours or more schedules in comparison to "every 3rd night call schedules". Another study based on 17,000 internet questionnaires answered by 2700 Doctors reveals that during their 1st year of post graduate residency, work shift overshot stipulated hours in a month. It leads to motor vehicle crash increased up to 9.1%.In months with 5 or more extended shifts, risk of falling asleep while driving or stooping at traffic was increased as 2.39: 3.69 respectively. Next research study published in JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) by the Harvard Medical School and Vancouver General Hospital found accidental percutaneous injuries like needle stick or laceration injuries was common in residents working for 24 hours work shift.

Fourth Study conducted by the Kansas City school of Medicine published in the Journal Academics Emergency Medicine in 2008 found 8% residents working in Trauma or Emergencies ward observed 96 vehicles accidents and 58% Doctors reported 1446 near crash injuries after duty hours. Approx 3/4th of motor vehicles crash and 80% near crashes was observed in the night shift according to the study. If we take a look on UK working hours for Junior Doctors by the European working time directive, according to the rule a Doctor can now work on average 48 hours per week calculated over 26 weeks. After continuous duty of 11 hours a rest day is provided. A day off is mandated every followed by 20 min rest every 6 hours.

Highlighting the issue of Medical Jobs in India, IMA (Indian Medical Association) or SMC (State Medical Council) has never fixed the duty hours for Junior Doctors. So, Indian Government should make a strict law for time limit for Doctor so that, they can practice stress free and can spend time with their loved ones. Doctors really work day and night to save life of a Patient; time has come to give their reward by fixing their duty hours by regulatory authorities.

The Author is expertise in blogging and framing articles related to healthcare issues. In this article the Author has tried his best to highlight the scope of Doctor jobs in India.