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Post-duty psychomotor performance in young and senior anaesthetists

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2006

W. Lederer ,
M. Kopp ,
O. Hahn ,
I. Kurzthaler ,
C. Traweger ,
J. Kinzl  and
A. Benzer
W. Lederer
Affiliation:
Innsbruck Medical University, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Innsbruck, Austria
M. Kopp
Affiliation:
Innsbruck Medical University, Department of Psychiatry, Innsbruck, Austria
O. Hahn
Affiliation:
Innsbruck Medical University, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Innsbruck, Austria
I. Kurzthaler
Affiliation:
Innsbruck Medical University, Department of Psychiatry, Innsbruck, Austria
C. Traweger
Affiliation:
University of Innsbruck, Department of Statistics, Innsbruck, Austria
J. Kinzl
Affiliation:
Innsbruck Medical University, Department of Psychiatry, Innsbruck, Austria
A. Benzer
Affiliation:
Innsbruck Medical University, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Innsbruck, Austria
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Extract

Summary

Background and objective: The level of performance in junior and senior anaesthetists was investigated after 24-h shift working and on-call duties. Methods: Pre- and post-duty psychomotor function, influence on response time, cognitive function and well-being in 23 individuals (13 junior and 12 senior anaesthetists) was assessed before and after 24-h in-house on-call duty. Subjective perception of tiredness and concentration abilities was estimated by applying a visual analogue scale. Results: The self-assessed tiredness prior to duty was high in both age groups and significantly increased in senior anaesthetists after night duty (P = 0.01). Post-duty impairment of concentration abilities was reported in both groups. Comparing results from pre- and post-duty psychometric testing showed a comparable decline in junior and senior anaesthetists as well. Assessment of burnout showed a significant lack of personal accomplishment in junior anaesthetists as compared to their older colleagues (P = 0.038). Senior anaesthetists judged their contribution to patient well-being significantly higher than did their younger colleagues (P = 0.035). Conclusions: Although tiredness and subjective impairment of concentration abilities was high in senior anaesthetists after 24-h in-house on-call duty, performance assessed by psychometric testing does not support the hypothesis that senior colleague's performance cannot keep up with routine hospital shift work.

Keywords

ANAESTHESIAAGEDFATIGUE, capacity for work, reduced efficiencyPSYCHOMOTOR PERFORMANCE, sensory process, motor activity
Type
Original Article
Information
European Journal of Anaesthesiology , Volume 23 , Issue 3 , March 2006 , pp. 251 - 256
Copyright
© 2006 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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