Assessment of sleep deprivation and fatigue among general surgery residents: Is it necessary to reduce resident's work hours?

General surgery residents are in chronic partial sleep deprivation during their training years at hospital. Chronic sleep deprivation adversely affects their mood, behavior, social relationship, learning ability, decision making, and patient care. Adverse effects of sleep deprivation on carefulness and precision, promptitude, hand skills, and dexterity of surgeons have been shown in different studies. The aim of present study was to estimate the degree of sleepiness among general surgery residents and obtaining their views about consequences of sleep deprivation and fatigue. This cross sectional study was performed on general surgery residents in Sina, Imam Khomeini, and Shariati Hospitals in Tehran, using a 38-item quantitative structured questionnaire. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) was used for assessment of sleepiness degree. Forty eight general surgery residents were entered to the study. Average weekly work hours were 140-160 for first and second year residents and 100-120 for third and fourth year residents. Mean ESS score was 11.6 ± 0.69 (range, 3-21), which indicated moderate sleepiness. Twenty percent of residents were in the severe range of sleepiness. From the studied residents, 52.1% believed that sleep deprivation and fatigue had a major impact on their personal life, and 31.3% of them believed these factors had major impact on their work. Extended work hours, sleep deprivation, and fatigue lead to sleepiness of general surgery residents and this problem adversely affects their quality of life and performance. Based on the results of this study, revision and modification of general surgery resident's work hours are suggested.