20 February 2008

Code Blue at Night



Your suspicions were correct.

If you intend to die while confined in a hospital, don't do it during the late hours of the night or on weekends. The recent JAMA study implied that hospital staff might be "less effective and less efficient" to provide a saving response during nights and weekends.

While it is true that the best place to have a heart attack is inside a hospital, it is still not a guarantee you will survive.

3 reactions:

Anonymous said...

doctors need more sleep. lack of sleep makes ANY person less efficient. i can't last a 24 hour straight duty, i'll pass out.

Dr. Emer said...

That is so true, Mari. Of all the professions, I believe those who are in charge of making judgment calls over life-and-death situations should get the MOST sleep. Everyone has a sleep requirement. If they don't get it, a sleep debt accumulates, and when it becomes critical, lots of unwanted things happen next.

rolly said...

doc, if I want to die, I wouldn't mind if the doctors are less effective. ON the contrary, I would prefer that they are. hehehe