FairShare evidence summary
Feasibility of Anesthesiologists Giving Nurse Anesthetists 30-Minute Lunch Breaks and 15-Minute Morning Breaks
Original source published:
The bottom line
Adequate staffing ratios alone did not get CRNAs their breaks: unpredictable case timing routinely defeated informal break plans at a well-resourced academic center. The lesson for leaders is that reliable relief requires systematic coordination — someone or something actively managing the break queue — not just headcount. As a single-institution feasibility study, the exact completion rates will vary by setting.
What the source found
Examined feasibility of anesthesiologists providing structured lunch and morning breaks to CRNAs at a university health system; found that even with adequate staffing ratios, unpredictability of case timing meant many breaks were not completed in intended windows; highlights need for systematic coordination beyond staffing alone.
Limitations and applicability
Single institution; academic center context may not generalize to community or rural settings; feasibility study, not a controlled trial.
Population and setting
Anesthesiologists and CRNAs at a university health system
Used in FairShare guides
About this evidence
Research question / practical issue
How does this source inform Break Relief, Fatigue, and Safe Handoffs for the population it studied?
Study design, evidence tier, and source class
Peer Reviewed Feasibility Study · primary source · evidence tier 2
Source type: Peer Reviewed Feasibility Study · primary · Evidence tier 2
Topics: Break Relief, Fatigue, and Safe Handoffs
Audience: Anesthesiologists, CRNAs, Department Leaders