Implementation of a novel night float call system: resident satisfaction and quality of life

Background: Compliance with Professional Association of Internes and Residents of Ontario duty hour guidelines has been problematic at our institution. To facilitate orthopedic residents' ability to go home postcall without significant disruption of ongoing clinical activities, a novel call system was adopted at our tertiary care centre. We sought to evaluate the satisfaction and quality of life of orthopaedic residents with that system. Methods: We administered questionnaires to on-service residents. These included the Short Form-36 questionnaire and others addressing topics including education, stress, work-related problems and miscellaneous concerns. Results: Seventeen residents were surveyed: 6 who had just completed a night float rotation, and 11 who were on a regular orthopedic service rotation while the night float system was in place. Quality of life was similar between residents on the night float block and those on the standard rotation; it was also similar to age-matched Canadian normative data. Eighty-nine percent of residents agreed that the presence of the night float rotation improved their quality of life on standard rotations, and 100% felt that their education was improved on standard rotations by having the night float system in place. Conclusion: This call system results in improved resident quality of life and widespread overall satisfaction, and may be considered as a viable alternative to traditional call formats. Follow-up data as more residents experience the night float block will be valuable.