Residents who worked schedules that eliminated extended shifts made a greater number of serious errors than those who worked schedules with shifts of 24 or more hours, a trial in the New England Journal of Medicine reported.

The randomized crossover trial compared the different schedules at 6 US pediatric intensive care units (ICUs).

Residents on the intervention schedule cycled through day and night shifts of 16 hours or less.

The control schedule included extended shifts of 24 hours or more.

Residents worked each schedule for 12 months, including a 4-month wash-in interval.

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