19.01 – Scheduling
8-hour duty assignment separation
Duty assignments must be separated by not less than 8 hours, unless it is a call shift scheduled immediately following regular salaried hours.
Example
Salaried hours = 0700-1700, call 1700-0700 (check mark approved)
Night float 1700=0700, dayshift 0700-1700 (x not approved)
Day shift 0800-1600, night shift 2300-0700 (x not approved)
24 hours is 24 hours
There must be 2 24-hour periods of scheduled non-working time per 2-week period. These must be a full 24 hours, not whatever is left over post call (e.g. ends the shift at 10am but expected back the next day at 8am) but a full 24 hours.
No more than 2 consecutive nights
Residents can be scheduled a maximum of 2 nights on call consecutively. A resident could not be scheduled for overnight call on Sunday if they are scheduled for overnight call the Friday and Saturday preceding. This includes home call.
Post call days
If on service for 24 hours or more, and you do not receive 6 uninterrupted continuous hours for the purpose of rest, you must be relieved of duty by 10 am or 2 hours after your call shift whichever is earlier. This includes home call.
Example
Salaried work 0700-1700, call 1700-0700, complete charting by 2300, consult at 0300, regular work begins at 0700, you must be released by 0900. You should not be assigned duties that cannot be completed by 0900 and your service must enable you to leave for the day (i.e. have someone to take the day pager, consults, clinic etc.)
80 hours per week maximum
Can I go over the maximum?
Yes, hours are averaged over 4 weeks, so it is possible to be over in one week and lower in another. Exceeding the maximum must be consented to by yourself and your Program Director. If there is a preceptor, attending or other supervisor asking you to exceed the maximum, contact your program director for approval.
What if I don’t want to go over the maximum?
If you do not consent to excessive hours and it is prior to performing the work (i.e. not an extension end of day or realizing middle of the day it has been more than 80); contact RDBC for support to see if we can work with your service to adjust the schedule.
If you are asked to extend your workday, ensure patient safety, then communicate professionally that there is an 80-hour limit and exceeding that requires consent from the Program Director and the resident. If they insist you work, complete the work as required and report it to RDBC, the incident will be reported to the scheduling committee so the Health Authority and PGME can address individual supervisors that are unable to uphold the Collective Agreement.
If you realize mid-day, you will exceed 80 hours, complete your shift, inform your supervisor and Program Director of the overage and professionally communicate the need for consent for remaining shifts or a plan for reduction should you not consent to excessive hours. Remember that the 80 hours are averaged over four weeks, so it is possible that you will exceed in one week and be under in the following week as an accepted practice. Please contact RDBC regarding overages as we are tracking systemic issues within programs, services and specific supervisors.
80 hours, but my pay is 37.5?
80 hours is 37.5 salaried hours plus 1 in 4 in hospital call. If your work is regularly exceeding this please contact RDBC so we can raise it at the Scheduling Committee to the attention of the PGME and the Health Authority.
What about AHD?
Educational Leaves that exceed 4 hours are included in your 80-hour calculation, this would include Academic Half Day commitments.
19.02 is not currently operational as there is a tri-party agreement that includes UBC in the process. See the Tri-Party LOU.
19.04 – Flex days expire at the conclusion of the academic year. The must be mutually agreed to but cannot be unreasonably withheld. Residents must ensure that they are not taken at a time the conflicts with educational requirements such as research/scholar day or practice exams.