In other fields like trucking or air traffic control, they have maximum time limits so that tired workers don’t cause dangerous accidents. It’s surprising that there isn’t something similar for doctors since medical accidents could also kill people. So, why do I keep hearing about medical workers working super long 12-48 hour shifts? Is there a benefit that outweighs the risk of accidents?
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Continuity of care is the primary reason. When a new doctor comes on shift they need to essentially catch up on the current status of all patients, review the charts, etc. In all fields there’s down time during shift changes. Reducing this down time improves patient care.
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