Re: Fatigue in Medicare Care = Errors

"George Conklin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> "Bettina" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > "George Conklin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
>  news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> > > While physicians seem to thin 36-hour shifts are just fine for them, a
> > > national report shows the obvious:  when nurses work over 12 hours,
>  errors
> > > increase sharply.
> > >
> > >  To reduce "error-producing fatigue," the report said, state officials
> > > should prohibit nurses from working more than 12 hours in any 24-hour
>  period
> > > or more than 60 hours a week.
> > >
> > > The article goes on to say:
> > >  But Dr. William C. Rupp, a member of the panel who is president of a
>  Mayo
> > > Health System hospital in Mankato, Minn., said, "Virtually every other
> > > industry in the country pays more attention to fatigue than we do."
> > >
> > > Pamela Thompson, chief executive of the American Organization of Nurse
> > > Executives, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association, said it
>  was
> > > "an accepted practice" for nurses to work 12-hour shifts.
> > >
> > >  Ada Sue Hinshaw, a panel member who is dean of the School of Nursing at
>  the
> > > University of Michigan, said: "The fatigue effects are the same. Medical
> > > errors start climbing after 12 hours of work."
> > >
> > >    And now we don't we see that medical residents make errors too when
>  they
> > > get tired, and stop the fraternity hazing traditions of staying up all
> > > night?
> >
> >
> > Nobody should work overtime if they are fatigued, but what about the
> > many nurses who want to work overtime because they get time and a half
> > or double time?
> >
> > Bettina
> 
>   That does not mean they are not tired and therefore make errors.


So Herman, you believe that there should be regulations and
legislation that makes it impossible for nurses who want to work
overtime to do so?
Bettina