Why doctors are still dying on the drive home after night shifts

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By Erin Dean

Despite years of advocacy, little has changed to protect exhausted medical staff. Instead of leaving doctors to shoulder responsibility alone, is it time to take a cue from aviation and other industries and regulate fatigue?

Dr Shonnelly Novintan’s 13-hour overnight shift covering the medical wards had been hectic, but that was not unusual. Then, as she was about to head home after her fourth night shift in a row, she was delayed further when the hospital supervisor asked her to meet.