Ayas N, Jeklin A, Tholin H, et al. - Given a possibility that working multiple consecutive shifts could jeopardize vigilance and patient care, particularly with respect to managing high-risk medications such as insulin infusions, researchers here examined if an increase in the number of consecutive shifts worked by nurses increases the rate of hypoglycemia in patients who are receiving an insulin infusion. Three ICUs in Vancouver, British Columbia were queried and 282 hypoglycemic events in 259 patients were assessed between December 2008 and December 2009. For each hypoglycemic event, they determined the number of shifts worked on consecutive days during the previous 72 hours by the bedside nurse who was attending for the patient at the time of hypoglycemia (case shift). The analysis revealed an association of working multiple consecutive nursing shifts with a heightened risk of hypoglycemic events in ICU patients.