64-Hour Shifts and 24-Hour On-Call: The Last Words of a Resident

[Anchor]

We previously reported the tragic incident in the Jeonbuk region where a newborn passed away after not receiving timely treatment following the resignation of the only professor responsible for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a university hospital.

Reporter Han Sung-hee investigates the reality of night shifts to understand why doctors are leaving the NICU one by one.

[Reporter]

It is 5:50 PM, just before the start of the night shift.

Professor Lee Byung-guk, who treats neonatal patients in the Sejong and North Chungcheong Province regions, has already been working for 40 hours since the early hours of the previous day.

[Lee Byung-guk/Professor of Neonatal Intensive Care, Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital: There was a patient in critical condition between Sunday and Monday, so I came in at 2 AM on Monday and have been working until 6 PM on Wednesday.]

That amounts to 64 consecutive hours of work.

Professor Lee must take sole responsibility for the intensive care unit again tonight.

The 20 beds are already full, mostly with premature babies born before 37 weeks.

The so-called on-call status, requiring 24-hour availability, is maintained 365 days a year.

The presence of a neonatologist is essential to saving a baby's life, such as in procedures like inserting an arterial line for a baby with dropping blood pressure.

[Lee Byung-guk/Professor of Neonatal Intensive Care, Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital: The radial artery (in the baby's wrist) is extremely small. I have no choice but to feel the pulse and find it myself. It is not something that is visible.]

Past midnight.

He frequently checks the heart of a baby nicknamed "Teun-teun-i," who weighs less than 600g.

[Lee Byung-guk/Professor of Neonatal Intensive Care, Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital: This is a very difficult case, and honestly, my heart hopes that the baby survives.]

He misses his dinner time and settles for a convenience store sandwich and milk in the office right next to the intensive care unit.

He tries to catch a nap after 1 AM, but wakes up an hour later to check on the babies again.

There are only 65 NICUs in the entire country, and only 199 neonatologists.

Even then, 65% of them are concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area.

As seen recently at Chonbuk National University Hospital, the departure of just one person can put the operation of an entire NICU at risk, making 24-hour consecutive shifts a daily routine for neonatologists.

[Lee Byung-guk/Professor of Neonatal Intensive Care, Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital: My neck is struggling a lot due to a herniated disc, but I am holding on. If something were to happen to me tomorrow, this place would become empty.]

Because the treatment is demanding, compensation is low, and doctors can face legal liability if something goes wrong despite the heavy workload, there have been no applicants for residency to succeed Professor Lee for seven years.

Professor Lee still remembers the words left by the last resident who worked with him.

[Lee Byung-guk/Professor of Neonatal Intensive Care, Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital: (The resident said) 'I think this is such a wonderful job. But I cannot do it, and my family cannot do it.']

After the sun rose, Professor Lee finished his rounds and left in a hurry to teach a medical school lecture.

He still has 10 more hours left until he can go home.

(Video reporting: Lee Byung-ju, Video editing: Kim Jong-tae)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.