Objective: To determine if paramedics sign off more patients in the last hour of their shifts and if there is a correlation with the shifts' lengths.
Methods: This was a retrospective study of EMS run report data derived from a computer aided dispatch (CAD) system. The last 200 eight-hour, 12-hour and 16-hour shifts (600 total shifts) in which there was at least one call for service in the last hour were reviewed. Transport/sign-off data were categorized and statistically analyzed.
Results: There were not more patients signed off on any shift during the last hour. There was a statistically significantly smaller number of patients signed off in all phases of the eight-hour shifts.
Conclusion: Decreasing shift lengths to eight hours will significantly reduce the number of patient sign-offs and result in less potential liability.