Resident Jeopardy System

ASA Resident Component Suggested Guidelines for Jeopardy System for Anesthesia Residency

Introduction

One of the perennial issues that residents want addressed is wellness. Part of wellness is knowing that one can attend to life’s emergencies and not being in direct conflict with obligations towards work. Currently, some programs have a robust jeopardy relief system, while others have none. In the latter case, if a resident has to suddenly call in for time off, this lapse in coverage results in chief residents scrambling to fill that spot.

However, if there is a relief system in which co-residents help cover for each other when there are personal illnesses, family emergencies, or other unforeseen circumstances, this could help residents feel supported to take time off to address these unexpected life issues. Residents should feel comfortable activating jeopardy when needed, without fear of negative consequences, but also respect the system and their colleagues by avoiding overutilization.

Purpose

To establish a guideline on how anesthesiology residency programs can incorporate a jeopardy relief system into their workflow such that residents who are unable to perform their duties have proper coverage. Reasons for calling in jeopardy include but are not limited to personal illness, family bereavement, or other emergencies. The purpose of this guide is to serve as a frame work for programs across the country to build their own jeopardy system. By no means should this document be followed exactly, as each program will have its own unique differences that will need to be accounted for. Success of the system will depend on the size of a program, presence of medical staff who can also help relieve, as well as buy-in from department and residents.

Proposed Method

Policies:

1. Jeopardy is only for true emergencies; anticipated absences should be scheduled through the chiefs accordingly.
2. Eligible requests: personal illness, personal emergencies, family emergencies, grievances, and case-by-case exceptions. If requesting jeopardy for 3 or more days in a row due to personal illness, must provide physician’s note
3. Jeopardy coverage is provided for main OR, ICU, etc. rotations by those residents on electives or non-clinical rotations(ex: research, periop clinic) when able. You cannot be assigned a jeopardy block if you are also scheduled for vacation.
4. Jeopardy residents must be within 1 hour of the hospital and accessible by phone, pager, or email. Make sure there is service where you are. If first call jeopardy resident isn’t available, then second call jeopardy resident will be activated, and first call will repay that person by taking two of their shifts later in the year.
5. If jeopardized for an overnight shift, the resident will not attend clinical duties for the following day.
6. CA-1s will not be assigned to jeopardy during their first month
7. Coverage for each class of residents should only be provided by residents within that class. Ex: Subspecialty specific coverage will require residents who already have rotated through that subspecialty (ex: can’t have a CA-1 cover for a CA-2 cardiac case)