Patient Safety in the Intensive Care Unit and the Impact of Medical Shift Scheduling

Doctors in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) work shifts that put them at risk of fatigue and impaired performance, potentially increasing the risk of adverse events. Using a medical record review, this study aimed to better understand patient safety in an Australian ICU and determine if using fatigue friendly scheduling guidelines impacted patient safety. Adverse events were found to be prevalent in the ICU and most were related to infections, procedures, and medication errors. The medical record review methodology helped to identifying adverse events that might have otherwise gone unreported, however, the schedule guidelines didn’t significantly change patient safety outcomes.