Impact of the New 16-Hour Duty Period on Pediatric Interns’ Neonatal Education

Abstract

Objective. To assess the impact of the 16-duty hour restriction on pediatric interns’ neonatal education. Method. Survey of interns clinical and educational experiences during their neonatal rotations. Results. A total of 316 respondents in 2011, who worked >16 hours, were compared with 509 respondents in 2012, who worked ≤16 hours. The average work week decreased from 67.3 ± 9.6 to 59.3 ± 8.1 hours ( P < .0001). The 2012 cohort attended fewer didactic lectures (−16%, P < .0001), grand rounds (−27%, P < .0001), and mock resuscitations (−16%, P < .005). There were no significant differences in the number of (1) patients on service, (2) deliveries attended, or (3) procedures. There was no significant difference in the median number of correct responses (4) on 10 knowledge-based multiple-choice questions. Conclusions. The decrease in duty hours was achieved without significantly affecting interns’ knowledge or clinical experience.