Residents' Perspective on the Impact of the 80-Hour Workweek Policy

Abstract

Background: The 80-hour workweek was initiated in 2003 to reduce the resident workweek and subsequently improve the safety and quality of patient care. Purpose: The purpose is to assess the impact of the 80-hr workweek from a resident's perspective. Method: We surveyed residents with experience before and after the 80-hr workweek policy. The survey assessed residents' perspective on the impact of the 80-hr workweek on 4 areas: patient care/safety, training experience, resident team functioning, and personal life. Results: There were 111 respondents (57% female, 65% married, average age = 32 years, 66% primary care residents). We found the 80-hr workweek had the greatest impact in personal self-care and sleep hygiene. Primary care residents reported a significantly more positive impact of the 80-hr workweek on quality of the training compared to specialty residents. There was no difference between the primary care residents and specialty residents for patient care/safety, resident team functioning, and personal life. Gender, marital status, and having children did not impact how residents' evaluated the 80-hr workweek. Conclusion: Residents, with pre- and post-80-hr workweek experience, reported the policy change as having the greatest benefit on their self-care and personal life significantly more than any other area.