Executive Summary

Extended shifts of 16 hours or more are identified as a major safety hazard because fatigue leads to mistakes [1] ; limiting health‑care worker shifts to 12 hours or less and ensuring adequate rest is proposed to reduce error risk [1] .

• Shifts of 16 hours or more can cause mistakes due to inadequate sleep [1] .
• Proposed policy: cap health‑care staff shifts at no longer than 12 hours and provide sufficient rest periods [1] .
• Shorter shifts are expected to reduce error risk by ensuring adequate sleep [1] .

What People Believe

Extended shifts increase safety risk due to fatigue

Shifts of 16 hours or more can readily cause mistakes because workers lack adequate sleep. [1] The comment highlights the need for sufficient rest for health‑care staff, implying that fatigue from long shifts is a major safety hazard. [1]

Suggested Policies and Actions

Limit health care worker shift length to reduce fatigue

The policy proposes capping health‑care staff shifts (e.g., no longer than 12 hours) and ensuring scheduling provides sufficient rest periods to promote adequate sleep. [1] Extended shifts of 16 hours or more are recognized as a major safety hazard because fatigue can lead to mistakes. [1] Ensuring adequate sleep through shorter shifts is therefore expected to reduce error risk. [1]