Effect of Work Load and Sleep Deprivation on Medical Staff's Driving Skills

Medical staff in Israel has long and unorthodox working hours. During residency, doctors stay overnight for shifts after working the normal working hours for a total of 24h, without regular set breaks or certainty of even one hour of sleep. Nurses, has three 8 hours shifts, changing at 7am, 3pm and 11pm, meaning the night shift staff works between 11pm and 7am the following morning. These conditions, especially when in a routine when one shifts follow another, may contribute to an accumulated workload, associated with sleep deprivation. Such conditions may have considerable impact on cognitive functions such as response time and concentration, which are fundamental for medical personal's function.

The driving simulator is based on software (STIS Drive Simulation software, System Technology INC, Hawthorne CA) and a hardware consisting of a computer, screen, and two consoles, one includes a stirring wheel and press buttons, the second includes acceleration and break paddles. Each test drive has several stages, in which the following are measured - the ability to maintain constant speed, the ability to maintain driving lain, to follow another vehicle and to break abruptly. Additionally, during the test drive, several arrows appear on the screen, and the subject is requested to push curtain buttons as they appear according to their direction. This simulator has been used in several prior reports for driving skills evaluation.

In this study, medical staff will be asked to be tested with the driving simulator after night shift, allowing assessment of cognitive functions and response time.

• Study design:

• The study will include doctors and nurses from the internal medicine, surgical, orthopedic and pediatric wards which work night shifts.

• The study will include both genders, ages 25-50.

• The study is planned to include 100 volunteers.

• Trial entry and enrollment