Protected Naps Improve Alertness for Medical Interns

Source: JAMA, NPR, ABC News, US News, Medpage Today, December 5, 2012; Penn Medicine News Release, December 4, 2012 Based on a 2009 IOM report recommending protected sleep periods for residents who work up to 30 hours, Kevin Volpp and colleagues wanted to evaluate the feasibility of a 5 hour protected sleep period for interns. The results show that a protected period of sleep for interns is feasible and can result in an increase in overnight sleep duration and improved alertness the next morning. The study was the first to show that protected sleep periods may provide a reasonable alternative to the intern duty hour reduction that went into effect in July 2011.