Arch Intern Med
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Burnout is very common in internal medicine residents. Effective July 2003, all residents were restricted to work less than an average of 80 hours per week and no more than 30 hours of continuous duty for patient care and educational obligations. We evaluated rates of burnout in internal medicine residents before and after the implementation of the new work-hour restriction. ⋯ Burnout continues to be a major problem. Reducing hours may be the first step to reduce burnout but may also affect education and quality of care.
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Substantial evidence from laboratory studies indicates that green and black tea preparations may protect against various cancers. Few epidemiologic studies, however, have examined the relationship specifically between tea consumption and risk of ovarian cancer. ⋯ These results suggest that tea consumption is associated with a reduced risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in a dose-response manner.
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In March 2004, the Chicago Department of Public Health was notified of a cluster of bloodstream infections with Klebsiella oxytoca and Enterobacter cloacae at a chemotherapy center. Our purpose was to identify the source of the outbreak and prevent further cases. ⋯ The injection of contaminated isotonic sodium chloride solution through the venous catheters of attendees at the clinic likely provided the opportunity for bloodstream infections in these 27 case patients. This outbreak highlights the need for continued emphasis on safe injection practices and suggests the need for guidelines and recommendations tailored to outpatient settings.
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Resident physicians are frontline providers with a unique vantage point from which to comment on patient safety-related events. ⋯ These findings support the perception that AEs are commonly encountered by physicians and often associated with errors. Causes of errors in teaching hospitals appear to be multifactorial, and a variety of measures are necessary to improve safety. Eliciting residents' perspectives is important because residents may perceive events, actions, and causal relationships that medical record reviewers or observers cannot.