Sleep Deprivation and My New Dance

Ritalin is easy, Ritalin is good. Even all the ones who watered down the daughter.

Ritalin fits into the melody a lot better than methylphenidate. Methylphenidate is easy, methylphenidate is good…

My MySpace blog about Minus Grover had a positive response. It seems a reunion may be in order and yes you can fourth a motion. What about an anniversary of Merrittstock?

As of Monday 12/11/06 the death toll of American soldiers in Iraq was 2,919.

The Prime Minister of Iran sponsored a conference for individuals who believe the Holocaust was a hoax. What a fucking idiot and anyone who believes that is a fucking idiot too.

I swear a lot, but cutting back on my swearing will not be one of my New Year’s Resolutions this year.

I think pantaloon, cantaloupe and jackalobe would be cousins if words were people. I was also thinking of starting a new dancing phenomenon called “the cantaloupe” or “the jackalobe.” First, I’d limp to the side like my leg was broken…oh wait, that’s already been done.

Sometimes I think religion is like the Force in Star Wars. Then I remember I like Star Wars.

USA Today reported on a study recently done in the Public Library of Science Medicine concerning intern and resident work hours. In 2003 resident work hours were restricted from 120 hours/week to 80 hours/week. The study apparently found when residents/interns work “marathon” 30 hour shifts five or more times in a month the risk of medical mistakes increased by 700% and the risk of killing a patient increased by 300%. Those are staggering numbers, however, I am not a proponent of lower the work hours to less than 80/week. First, for a medication error to occur (medication errors have largely been implicated in sleep deprived residents), the resident must write the wrong order, the nurse must send the order to the pharmacy, the pharmacy must then fill the wrong order and then the nurse then must administer the wrong medication. Ultimately the liability falls on the physician, but there are plenty of opportunities for someone to speak up and say, “Hey this doesn’t sound right.” Secondly, decreasing the number of hours allowed to work in a day disrupts patient continuity and switching physicians so frequently can lead to errors as well. Sleep deprivation and the errors that ensue are unfortunate, but cutting back hours also limits the clinical experiences physicians-in-training need to become competent in their respective fields. This is especially true in the surgical specialties. I’m sure if your appendix ruptured you would not want a third year resident to perform the surgery when he/she has not had several previous surgeries from which to learn. Moreover, physicians in the past worked these long hours and there never was a huge uproar about medical errors. Now, due to more awareness and studies, research has verified sleep deprivation may lead to medical errors. Perhaps today’s residents/interns are less intelligent than physicians in the past and thus, it is not the sleep deprivation leading to medication errors, but rather physicians who are not as smart.

Sloan will be at St. Andrew’s on Saturday January 20, 2007. Don’t make plans for that day, unless your plans are to go to see Sloan and hangout in Detroit. Then, make those plans.