I find it quite surprising there isnt much push to enact work hour restriction for attendings.
And I know the attendings busted their posteriors at my residency. I saw them come in to do an emergent case at 11pm or later, and go to clinic or a full day in the OR when my senior and I were post call. 30 hours of heightened awareness and alertness I have no problem. Past 30, that edge blunts quickly.
I know these rules are meant to make help the house staff. And to be quite honest, I enjoyed my program's set up. 27-hour (NY) or 30-hour (most other places,) was quite tolerable and sign out was methodical. I can't see going shorter than 27 *and* still have the ability *not* to leave things hanging.
Attendings have no such rules in place. As we have seen, all it takes is one bad outcome in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people to cause pressure to address the issue, whether by a self policing agency, or by a federal agency (like OSHA.)
And if we are going to go with the military for allusions, I have a couple for your, regarding rest periods. Weapons loaders for fighter jets have to have 8hrs off in 24hrs (i.e. a 16hr day,) because they have to handle things that go *boom* surprisingly easy. Nuclear-rated weapons loaders can only work 14hrs, due to the sensitive nature of the devices (i.e. big badda boom.) Now, it may have changed since I have been out of the service, and out of contact with my buddies who were weapons loaders, but I can't see it myself.
For myself, I consider us to handling patients with the same delicacy and attention to detail as my friends in weapons describe their jobs; in both jobs, if something goes wrong, the results are lethal. And that attention fades as the hours go on.