Open AccessBRIEF REPORT: Internal Medicine Residents', Attendings', and Nurses' Perceptions of the Night Float System
Author(s) -
Akl Elie A.,
Bais Anshu,
Rich Ellen,
Izzo Joseph,
Grant Brydon J. B.,
Schünemann Holger J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00434.x
Subject(s) - medicine , perception , teamwork , float (project management) , patient care , medline , family medicine , residency training , nursing , medical education , psychology , continuing education , neuroscience , marine engineering , political science , law , engineering
BACKGROUND: Residency training programs use the night float system increasingly to meet the new resident work hour regulations. OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare residents', attendings', and nurses' perceptions of the night float system. DESIGN: A survey study. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and seven residents, 48 attendings, and 69 nurses in a university‐based multicenter internal medicine residency program. MEASUREMENTS: Perceived impact on patient care, resident training, and resident performance. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 75%. In general, more residents than both attendings and nurses had positive opinions regarding the night float system, particularly in relation to patient care. Only a small proportion of residents and attendings thought positively about the night float's impact on training quality (29.9%; 18.2%), daily feedback (23.0%; 9.1%), and end of rotation evaluation (21.8%; 6.1%). Less than half of the nurses had positive perceptions of the night residents' performance in terms of promptness (40.9%), physical availability (38.6%), familiarity with the patients' cases, and management plans (15.9%), communication of management plans to nurses (36.4%), professional respect and trust (43.2%), and teamwork (45.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Residents had more positive perceptions than attendings and nurses. Nurses, in particular, had negative perceptions of resident performance in the setting of the night float system.