Why the study?
Does being "on call" induce physiologic stress (measured by heart rate and WBC count) in surgical residents, and does this vary by training level?
Does being "on call" induce physiologic stress (measured by heart rate and WBC count) in surgical residents, and does this vary by training level?
Surgical residents experience measurable physiologic stress while on call, which decreases as their level of training advances.
This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.
When heart rate is used as an indicator of combined physiologic and psychologic stress, surgical residents achieve stress levels of tachycardia "on call." Surgical residents also exhibit an increase in circulating WBC count "on call." Both the degree of tachycardia and the increase in WBC count are inversely related to the level of training. Senior residents cope better with stress "on call" than junior residents and interns.
Greater on-call stress in junior residents warrants monitoring; leaves open causal mechanisms and targeted interventions.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Tendulkar et al. (2005) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: