← AANA Practice Manual
Practice Consideration
Fatigue, Sleep, and Work Schedule (Practice Consideration)
Last AANA revision: 2022
Our paraphrased summary. The text below is our own condensed phrasing for board review, derived from the AANA Practice Manual document of the same name. The AANA document is the authoritative source — read it on aana.com for legally-binding language.
Long shifts and poor sleep produce errors equivalent to alcohol intoxication. AANA recommends limiting work to ≤ 16 contiguous hours, ≥ 10-hour rest between shifts, and ≥ 1 day off per week.
Key points
- 1.Hours awake > 17 → cognitive impairment ≈ BAC 0.05
- 2.Hours awake > 24 → ≈ BAC 0.10
- 3.Errors increase steeply after 12 contiguous hours of clinical work
- 4.Power-nap (20–30 min) during call when feasible
- 5.Speak up if too fatigued to safely deliver care — cultural shift required
This is an exam-prep summary, not a substitute for the full AANA document. Read the source at aana.com for authoritative wording. Education only.