MANAGING SLEEP DEPRIVATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

WHEREAS, fatigue plays a major role in patient and employee safety; and

WHEREAS, healthcare values the workaholic who ignores his or her personal need for appropriate sleep; and

WHEREAS, a major issue contributing to sleep deprivation, according to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM), is that staffing levels do not allow employees to have adequate time off and breaks during their work shifts; and

WHEREAS, employers correct staffing imbalances with overtime, which mostly leads to fatigued workers and absenteeism as well as a fatigued workforce; and

WHEREAS, well-rested and alert healthcare professionals are critical to safe and productive operations, according to the ACOEM; and

WHEREAS, more than 40 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, a leading cause of fatigue and depression; and

WHEREAS, healthcare professionals may work 12-hour shifts and then work overtime, providing little opportunity for adequate sleep before returning to work:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers will encourage healthcare locals to establish a comprehensive fatigue management program for healthcare professionals; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will encourage and assist locals in negotiating adequate staffing and appropriate scheduling to provide optimum work assignment; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will familiarize healthcare locals with the hazards of working while fatigued; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will support legislation to ban mandatory overtime.