SUBJECT: Duty Hours and Work Hours Policy
Graduate education in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry requires a commitment to continuity of patient care. This continuity of care must take precedence without regard to the time of day, day of the week, number of hours already worked or on-call schedules. At the same time, patients have a right to expect a healthy, alert, responsible, and responsive physician dedicated to delivering effective and appropriate care. Different rotations may require different work hours and patterns. There is a distinction between in hospital call time and at home call time with regard to actual work time. Residency training in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry is a full-time responsibility; activities outside the program must not interfere with the resident’s opportunity to rest, relax and study.
In accordance with the ACGME, the maximum number of hours that a resident may work is 80 hours per week averaged over a four-week period, inclusive of all in-house call activities. These 80 hours include hours worked in any affiliated hospital. It does not include pager call from home, however, when called into the hospital from home, the hours spend in-house are counted toward the 80-hour limit. Any hours worked in moonlighting count toward the maximum of 80 hours per week, except for hours only on pager call from home while moonlighting. Residents will work no more than 30 consecutive hours. Adequate time for rest and personal activities will be provided, consisting of at least one 10-hour time period provided between all daily duty periods and after in-house call. Residents will be on-call no more than every third night and will be provided with 1 day in 7 free from all educational and clinical responsibilities, averaged over a 4-week period, inclusive of call. One day is defined as one continuous 24-hour period free from all clinical, educational, and administrative activities.
