The Radiology Pain Points Survey Results
The results of the radiology pain points survey are finally in. And, I bet that many of you would like to know if your colleagues have the same feelings of dread about overnights as you do. So, let’s get right down to the nitty-gritty.
Of all the most dreaded parts of the overnight call, a majority of the respondents stated that they dreaded missing findings the most (51%). And, that makes sense given that everyone has the potential to miss something critical in the wee hours. In second place (30%), you guys selected lack of sleep. Again, not surprising because most of us hate the feeling of nausea and dizziness that sets in at 4 AM. Our bodies and mind abhor lack of sleep! In a distant third (8%), you had selected the fear of injuring patients as the most dreaded aspect of overnights. I had expected this fear to be a little bit higher. But, missing findings often lead to patient injury. So, perhaps this is the proximate cause for this response. And, therefore, you picked this response less frequently.
And finally, there was a smattering of other responses, including a confrontation with colleagues, and some great comments like -dealing with phone calls, contrast reactions, and the isolation of overnights.
Take-Home Message
So, what is the final take-home message from this poll? Well, for one, we need to come up with better ways for you to deal with some of the most significant issues that you will face on overnight call. I don’t believe many residencies have addressed these issues well. For example, we talk about sleep deprivation, and most residencies give you some lectures at the beginning of the academic year. But, what are some real-world radiology specific techniques that we can utilize to mitigate its effects? And, how can we ensure that you have the tools to make the necessary findings at nighttime? Are a precall quiz and a first-year introducti0n to call enough? Perhaps, residencies and the regulating bodies need to do more. Just some food for thought!
