Nighttime intensivist staffing, mortality, and limits on life support: a retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Evidence regarding nighttime physician staffing of ICUs is suboptimal. We aimed to determine how nighttime physician staffing models influence patient outcomes.

Methods

We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study in a multicenter registry of US ICUs. The exposure variable was the ICU's nighttime physician staffing model. The primary outcome was hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included new limitations on life support, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, and duration of mechanical ventilation. Daytime physician staffing was studied as a potential effect modifier.

Results

The study included 270,742 patients in 143 ICUs. Compared with nighttime staffing with an attending intensivist, nighttime staffing without an attending intensivist

SUBMITTER: Kerlin MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4388125 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature