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Sleep deprivation is a worrying issue that affects everyone 365
days a year. However, it's especially damaging for health professionals who
have high job stress and no time off.
To improve their working conditions, and protect themselves and their patients, doctors need shorter schedules with more rest days between shifts. Only then will they be able to perform at peak levels without risking dangerous side effects on the job or off it!
In this article, we'll explore the causes of sleep deprivation among doctors and its effects on patient safety.
The causes of sleep deprivation in healthcare professionals
There are many causes of sleep deprivation in healthcare workers, but there are three, in particular, that stand out: shift work, long work hours, and the nature of the work itself.
The majority of healthcare workers are employed in shift work. This can cause problems for the circadian rhythm, the natural sleep-wake cycle of the human body. When you work shift work, you have less time to get the sleep that your body needs.
Long work hours can also lead to sleep deprivation among healthcare workers resulting in sleep deprivation. Due to the nature of the work itself healthcare professionals are more likely to experience sleep problems and sleep deprivation.
Impacts on patient care
It's no secret that doctors are often sleep-deprived. This can lead to errors in judgment and decision-making, as well as problems with coordination and communication. But what's less well known is how this impacts patient care.
When healthcare professionals are sleep-deprived, they’re more likely to make mistakes. One example is medication dosage errors: a study found that sleep-deprived nurses make three times as many mistakes when administering medications than when they’re fully rested.
Sleep-deprived healthcare workers are also less likely to exhibit empathy and compassion towards patients, which can lead to poor patient satisfaction scores. A lack of sleep has also been linked to increased rates of burnout among healthcare workers. This is problematic for some reasons.
High rates of burnout can cause a serious staffing shortage in the healthcare industry. This can lead to longer wait times in hospitals and long wait lists for appointments with your health care providers.
On how to fight
Fighting the phantom threat may feel like an insurmountable effort if you're a doctor who doesn't get enough sleep. Fortunately, most of the causes of sleep deprivation can be combated with a few simple strategies.
First, check to see that you are utilizing all of your resources. The treatment of patients overnight can be assisted by several hospitals' on-call services. If your hospital doesn't offer this, think about approaching your manager to set up a shift exchange so you can get some much-needed rest.
Second, make changes to your sleeping habits. To achieve this, make your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. Additionally, you should abstain from coffee, alcohol, and electronic screen time before bed.
To improve their working conditions, and protect themselves and their patients, doctors need shorter schedules with more rest days between shifts. Only then will they be able to perform at peak levels without risking dangerous side effects on the job or off it!
In this article, we'll explore the causes of sleep deprivation among doctors and its effects on patient safety.
The causes of sleep deprivation in healthcare professionals
There are many causes of sleep deprivation in healthcare workers, but there are three, in particular, that stand out: shift work, long work hours, and the nature of the work itself.
The majority of healthcare workers are employed in shift work. This can cause problems for the circadian rhythm, the natural sleep-wake cycle of the human body. When you work shift work, you have less time to get the sleep that your body needs.
Long work hours can also lead to sleep deprivation among healthcare workers resulting in sleep deprivation. Due to the nature of the work itself healthcare professionals are more likely to experience sleep problems and sleep deprivation.
Impacts on patient care
It's no secret that doctors are often sleep-deprived. This can lead to errors in judgment and decision-making, as well as problems with coordination and communication. But what's less well known is how this impacts patient care.
When healthcare professionals are sleep-deprived, they’re more likely to make mistakes. One example is medication dosage errors: a study found that sleep-deprived nurses make three times as many mistakes when administering medications than when they’re fully rested.
Sleep-deprived healthcare workers are also less likely to exhibit empathy and compassion towards patients, which can lead to poor patient satisfaction scores. A lack of sleep has also been linked to increased rates of burnout among healthcare workers. This is problematic for some reasons.
High rates of burnout can cause a serious staffing shortage in the healthcare industry. This can lead to longer wait times in hospitals and long wait lists for appointments with your health care providers.
On how to fight
Fighting the phantom threat may feel like an insurmountable effort if you're a doctor who doesn't get enough sleep. Fortunately, most of the causes of sleep deprivation can be combated with a few simple strategies.
First, check to see that you are utilizing all of your resources. The treatment of patients overnight can be assisted by several hospitals' on-call services. If your hospital doesn't offer this, think about approaching your manager to set up a shift exchange so you can get some much-needed rest.
Second, make changes to your sleeping habits. To achieve this, make your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. Additionally, you should abstain from coffee, alcohol, and electronic screen time before bed.
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