The work culture of anesthesia - how fatigue in anesthesia care practitioners may affect patient care: a systematic review protocol

Abstract

Review question/objective The objectives are to identify the effect of fatigue in anesthesia care providers on patient safety. This review aims to answer the following specific questions: Does fatigue in anesthesia care providers impact patient safety? Considering validity and reliability, are anesthesia care providers accurate in their assessment of their fatigue? Does the current work culture of anesthesia precipitate practitioner fatigue? Inclusion criteria Types of participants This review will consider studies that include nurse anesthetists, anesthesiologists, student nurse anesthetists, anesthesiology residents, and anesthesia assistants regardless of gender, race, age or nationality. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest This review will consider studies that evaluate fatigue among the participant groups of interest. Types of outcomes This review will consider studies that include the following outcome measures: the incidence of error and potential error attributable to fatigue such as medication errors, procedural errors (such as, unintended dural puncture in epidural patients), or omission of pertinent patient history, the incidence of impaired vigilance in an anesthesia provider related to fatigue as measured by vigilance tests, self reports, and neurocognitive tests following a night of call or intentional sleep deprivation for simulated studies. This review will consider studies that also include the following outcome measures: the number of hours worked by anesthesia care professionals, the number of full time, part time and locums employers anesthesia care professionals have.