The Effects of Night Call on Intellectual Performance

Individual Coping Strategies After Night Calls: Effects on Performing Clinical and Cognitive Tasks

The purpose of the current proposal will be to examine the clinical performance of both physicians in training as well as experienced faculty in pre and post call situations. Groups will be matched for gender, age, experience and employment duration during regular hours versus immediate post call hour.

This is a prospective study evaluating the reaction time among attending anesthesiologists, and anesthesiology residents who take night shift call and are suffering from sleep deprivation. Investigators plan to examine clinical performance by measuring reaction times using a 10 minute psychomotor vigilance test device on physicians in training as well as experienced physicians in pre and post call situations.

All subjects will be informed of the scope and purpose of the study.

1. Attending Anesthesiologists: Gender, age, years of experience, years of employment at the institution, hours of sleep and circadian rhythm will be taken into effect.
2. Residents/Fellows: Gender, age, years of experience, years of employment at the institution and circadian rhythm will be taken into effect.

All study subjects will be asked to fill a questionnaire regarding demographic data, coping strategy Index.

1. Baseline instruments; including demographics, and coping strategy indicator (CSI), will be administrated.
2. Reaction time, mood and simple cognitive test will be measured at approximately 7 am of a regular day, (when the subject is not on call).
3. Reaction time, mood and simple cognitive test will be measured at approximately 7 am of after a call night.

This proposal attempts to examine the impact of night shift on mood, cognitive and motor task performance in physicians as compared to regular hours.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Staff Attending Anesthesiologist who takes night shift call
• Anesthesiology residents who take night shift call

Exclusion Criteria:

• Staff unwilling to participate