Sleep-deprived doctors told to drink coffee
September 8, 2009 by Liz Lewis
Filed under Across the Pond, Drugs, Extreme
Check this out.
Queensland Health’s new doctor fatigue policy, soon to take affect in public hospitals around Queensland, Australia, suggests the antidote for sleep-deprived doctors is …. six cups of coffee.
This will, apparently, prevent them from harming their patients while in state of exhaustion.
Honestly. I’m not making this up. The policy document claims that the standard solution of ‘more staff’ really isn’t feasible. Therefore, the doctors need to find a way to work effectively on little sleep.
And that way is caffeine. The document suggests recommends a dose of 400 mg of caffeine (about 5 to 6 cups of coffee) as the doctor’s fatigue fighter.
And if they can’t drink coffee, then perhaps, the document goes on to say, they should try caffeine tablets instead.
For more on this, read the full story at the Courier Mail
