Clinical Research Directory

Does Fatigue Coaching Improve Functioning and Fatigue in Resident Night Shifts

Emergency Medicine (EM) requires 24/7 staff coverage resulting in healthcare workers' circadian rhythm disruptions that impair clinical and cognitive performance, physical recovery, and contribute to burnout. Multiple well-being surveys continue to highlight EM's challenges with sleep impairment due to the nature of the specialty. Despite evidence that lifestyle strategies effectively optimize performance and recovery, EM residents have variable lifestyle choices to prepare for overnight shifts. This prospective randomized controlled trial will examine whether a pre-shift personalized fatigue-mitigation lifestyle coaching (PFMLC) for EM residents on overnight shifts minimizes the effects of circadian rhythm disruptions on performance and recovery compared to those who receive one-time passive information on lifestyle practices. All participants will receive lifestyle strategy materials on fatigue mitigation to improve performance. Residents' self-reported and biometric data will inform PFMLC in the active arm. Performance and recovery from night shifts will be assessed by changes in sleep, heart rate variability, readiness/recovery, alertness, cognitive performance, and mental health using Fitbit and validated measures.

Eating Behaviors in Shift Workers

This study will compare eating behaviors and measures of hunger and fullness between day and night workers in order to better understand why night workers are at increased risk for obesity and related diseases.

Shift Worker Intervention for Sleep Health

The aim of this study is to pilot test a comprehensive, personalized, media-augmented telehealth intervention ("SWISH") designed to improve sleep health among shift workers.