Over 35% Of Medics - Mostly Women - Find Night Shifts Unsafe: IMA Survey

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) surveyed 3,885 healthcare providers in India, which revealed that at least 35% of the professionals, a majority being women, feel unsafe during night shifts. Some doctors even revealed that they feel the need to carry self-defence tools to feel secure. The IMA shared that this is the largest study ever conducted in India on this topic. Medical professionals across the country have been recently raising their voices for safety at the workplace since a 31-year-old female doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was raped and murdered during the night shift on August 9.

What Else Does IMA Survey Reveal?

The IMA online survey findings were compiled by a team headed by Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Chairman, Research Cell, Kerala State IMA. The respondents were from over 22 States in India, with 85% being under 35 years old and 61% being interns or postgraduate trainees. Women constituted 63% of respondents. Doctors of age 20-30 years, mostly interns or PGTs, revealed the lowest sense of safety.

Kochi, #Kerala: Vice Chairman, Research Cell, IMA Kerala, #RajeevJayadevan says, "The study was undertaken to find out how safe doctors feel while doing night duties or night shifts...1/3rd of the doctors in the study felt unsafe and 11% felt totally unsafe doing night duties.… pic.twitter.com/AeCx8GQmpJ

— cliQ India (@cliQIndiaMedia) August 30, 2024

In a matter of grave concern, at least 45% of respondents stated that a duty room or rest area was not available for the night shift staff. Notably, those with duty rooms felt a greater sense of safety. However, about 53% of the available duty rooms were often overcrowded, not well-equipped, or located far from the ward/casualty area. Nearly one-third of the available duty rooms did not even have an attached bathroom.

The findings of the survey will be published in the IMA's Kerala Medical Journal October 2024 issue. "Several doctors reported feeling unsafe (24.1 pc) or very unsafe (11.4 pc), totalling one-third of the respondents. The proportion of those feeling unsafe was higher among women," the survey findings showed. The doctors reportedly gave some suggestions for safer work environments.

Most medical professionals suggested increasing the number of trained security personnel, installing CCTV cameras, ensuring proper lighting, implementing the Central Protection Act (CPA), restricting bystander numbers, installing alarm systems and providing basic amenities such as secure duty rooms with locks. Some doctors stated that adequate staffing, effective triaging, and crowd control in patient care areas.

Dr Rajeev Jayadevan of the IMA team told the Press Trust of India, "The survey findings have significant implications for broad policy changes, some of which have already been addressed by the Government of India in response to the Kolkata incident."