Limiting resident work-hour restrictions will increase the burden on mid-level providers, like PAs and NPs.
There are currently no restrictions for mid-levels, but do they regularly exceed 80 working hours per week?
In a letter to the editor, it’s possible that some apparently do, as “it is common practice for physician assistants to work back-to-back shifts at different hospitals, thus making it difficult to track their hours.”
This is the start of a slippery slope for reducing the work for all medical personnel.
There are currently no work restrictions after a doctor in training graduates. How will residents, used to mandated naps and weekly caps on work, handle that?
Additionally, the current trend of limiting hours for everyone is going to run into serious cost difficulties, as our health system isn’t ready to commit to hiring the additional staff required to pick up the slack.
