A national report has shown that the lack of sleep between shifts can disturb a doctor's work and, therefore, it can affect his performance with patients.

The study recommends broad changes by hospitals in order to ensure the patients get the attention they need. The Institute of Medicine, commissioned by Congress to study residents' hours five years after the first voluntary limits were put in place, suggested that residents get protected sleep periods during lengthy shifts and closer supervision by senior physicians.

Dr. Michael M. E Johns, chancellor of Emory University and chairman of the committee that issued the report, told the media: “Our overarching conclusion is that the science clearly shows that fatigue increases the chances of errors, and residents often work long hours without rest and regular time off."

However, the changes might get pretty expensive, approximately $1.7 billion to fill in for residents who are off duty. For example, Boston teaching hospitals said it is to soon to say if they will adopt any of the proposed changes. As for the current guidelines, given by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, they state a resident can work an average of 80 hours per week over four weeks and no more than 30 consecutive hours at a time.

The recommendations given by the report consist of a maximum shift of 16 continuous hours, or a 30-hours shift that includes five hours of sleep. The accrediting group will discuss the report and the possibility of adjusting its rules.

Other experts say that, for example, residents increase their risk of accident with needles after working more than 24 hours straight. It's pretty clear for everyone, a change is needed, but there will certainly be a lot of talking before anything is put into order or adjusted. All in all, this change could bring benefit both to the resident and his patients.