Sleep-deprived doctors and patient safety: an unresolved link

In autumn 2013, Ireland’s non-consultant hospital doctors went on a 24-hour strike to protest at the Health Service Executive’s lack of compliance with the European Working Time Directive. This paper reviews the literature regarding the relationship between sleep deprivation, doctor performance and patient safety. Detrimental effects on doctor performance, including cognitive ability and in real and simulated surgery, have not been clearly demonstrated. However, the long-term effects of sleep deprivation on doctor health and burnout remain unclear. Relatively few strategies, ranging from changes to scheduling programmes to pharmacological interventions, have been investigated to manage sleep deprivation more effectively. Ultimately, more long-term research is required to elucidate the link between sleep deprivation and patient safety