Tired Aussie doctors told to drink more coffee

Published by rudy Date posted on September 14, 2009

Australian medical groups on Tuesday slammed state government guidelines recommending sleep-deprived doctors should drink up to six cups of coffee to remain alert during marathon shifts.

Australian medical groups on Tuesday slammed state government guidelines recommending sleep-deprived doctors should drink up to six cups of coffee to remain alert during marathon shifts.

Queensland Health made the suggestion in a policy paper on fatigue risk management, declaring “strategic use of caffeine… to be beneficial” for doctors, Brisbane’s Courier-Mail newspaper reported.

“The recommended dosage for a prolonged and significant reduction in sleepiness during a night without sleep has been suggested at 400mg of caffeine… equivalent to about five to six cups of coffee,” the document said.

It said energy drinks were also a remedy for weary doctors but recommended caffeine pills or coffee because they were readily available and inexpensive, the Courier-Mail reported.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) described the guidelines as “disturbing” and said doctors working shifts of up to 80 hours needed to have proper rest breaks.

“Lives are being put on the line, that’s why the AMA has repeatedly drawn attention to this, we’ve got to change the attitude, we’ve got to change the rostering,” vice-president Steve Hambleton told Channel Nine television.

The issue was highlighted after Queensland’s Salaried Doctors Association anonymously surveyed medical practitioners and reported major fatigue-related problems, including surgeons falling asleep in operating theatres.

Queensland Health’s Townsville district medical director Andrew Johnson defended the guidelines he helped to draft, saying they emphasised producing rosters that allowed doctors to get adequate sleep.

But he said caffeine was a well-known stimulant “and when you’re in a tight spot, it can help.”

“What’s come through very clearly in the international literature on this across a range of industries is that caffeine can, in fact, improve alertness and performance. That’s been a long-established fact,” he told Sky News.

“We’re not trying to push caffeine down the throats of doctors but we are saying that one thing you can do to improve alertness is some strategic caffeine use.” –AFP

Sept 5 – Oct 5
National Teachers Month

“Pay teachers decent wages,
Pay attention to teachers!”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.

Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar.  Reject Military!

#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors. Time to spark a global conversation. Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!

September


Monthly Observances:

Health, Safety, and Sanitation Month
Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month

National Peace Consciousness Month

Social Security Month

Rule of Law Month

National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 5)

 

Weekly Observances:

Sept 17 – 23:

World Clean and Green Week

Week 2: Education Week

Week 4: Medicine Week

Last Week: Family Week


Daily Observances:

Third Saturday: International Coastal Clean-up Day

Third Monday: World Health Day

Last Friday: National Maritime Day

Sept 8: National Literacy Day

Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day

Categories

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.