Interventional radiology residents experienced increased productivity and well-being with the implementation of a night float schedule, according to a study published May 26 in Academic Radiology.
Here are four things to know from the study:
- Over a period of one year, interventional radiology residents worked nights for six months under a traditional call system and for six months under a night float system.
During the traditional call schedule, on-call residents working nights were not guaranteed post-call days off.
During the night float schedule, residents were scheduled for one week of nights with no daytime shifts. - To evaluate the effects of the two scheduling models, researchers reviewed interventional radiologists’ short communication notes and full patient consult notes from between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., and surveyed residents, advanced practice providers and faculty physicians.
- During the night float period, the median number of short communication notes increased from 4.5 to 9.5 per resident. The median number of full patient consult notes increased from 16 to 53.
- Twenty-five percent of residents said they were positively affected by the night float schedule, while no residents said they were positively affected by the traditional call system.
One hundred percent of faculty physicians and APPs surveyed said they perceived an overall improvement in patient care during the night float period.
Read the full study here.
