Recognising Sepsis in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Patients

Abstract

Background: It is well documented that fatigue can compromise patient care and the well-being of staff. For all who have worked a maxfax SHO job, it is well known that the workload can be demanding despite support from nursing staff and working hour regulation. With the need to replace aging hospitals, accommodate larger numbers of patients and incorporating new technologies, the opportunity to re-design hospitals and wards is invaluable in reducing staff stress and fatigue. This review looks at several hospitals in the Greater Manchester region and the distance walked by a max-fax on call SHO. As doctors we are used to using evidence-based medicine to guide our clinical judgements. This review would like to consider the evidence-based results, the miles walked, and the relationship to the physical environment and staff well being. How much time do we actually spend travelling around the hospital when we could be spending more time interacting with patients, ward staff, and the family? Methods: Pedometers and documentation were provided to Manchester Royal Infirmary, North Manchester General Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital, and Blackburn Royal Infirmary. The number of steps, miles walked, and kcal burnt were recorded at the end of every shift over a one week period.