Evidence Based Practice

Risk Management

Fatigue: A Hidden Danger #1025 (0.50 CH)

1025 - Fatigue: A Hidden Danger #1025 (0.50 CH)

Speaker(s)

• GT

  Garalynn Tomas, DNAP, MEd, BS, RN

  CRNA

Studies demonstrating fatigue among health care providers is common and adversely affects patient safety, as well as the health and well-being of the health care provider. The implications for practice are focused on patients, health care providers, and health care systems. Administrators and leaders in the health care and nursing community should consider the evidence that links patient safety to fatigue and sleepiness when developing policies and guidelines for call-shift duration and frequency. Evidence-based strategies must be implemented to proactively address fatigue and sleepiness, to promote a healthy work environment, and to ensure optimal patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe contributory factors related to health care fatigue, including implications for patients and staff.
• Address how work schedules relate to drowsy driving.
• Discuss the challenge to health care administrators to provide a safe culture environment and provide evidence-based policies.
• Review effects of fatigue on the individual health care provider.
• Describe countermeasures used to combat fatigue.