France: medical interns demonstrate so as not to exceed "48 hours per week"

A hundred people demonstrated in Paris on Saturday to demand the limitation of the work of medical interns to 48 hours per week and to denounce their professional exhaustion (illustrative image).

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A hundred people demonstrated on Saturday, June 19 in Paris to demand the limitation of the work of medical interns to 48 hours per week and to denounce their professional exhaustion.

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Dressed in white coats, the demonstrators set off around 2:00 p.m. from the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital to the Ministry of Health, at the call of the National Intersyndicale des Interns (Isni).

Some wore “

48 hours strike for 48 hours a week

” stickers 

.

Hourly count

 ", or signs" 

48 hours interns exhausted, patients in danger! 

".

“ 

We are on strike for 48 hours, because it is the weekly limit of work in the law.

After this limit, it becomes dangerous for caregivers, which can lead to burn-out, depression.

We are also dangerous for patients.

We barely stand, impossible to make technical gestures 

, "Gaétan Casanova, president of Isni, told AFP, denouncing" 

professional exhaustion

 ".

There are things that I did badly because I was too tired ...

Olivia, intern in anesthesia at APHP Saint-Louis hospital in Paris

Simon roze

My record was 92 hours 

"

“ 

I work a lot, often a lot more than 48 hours a week. When I was in the pediatric emergency room, my record was 92 hours, 

”Pauline, 28, intern in Lille, told AFP. “ 

During a call on a Sunday at 5 am, I was woken up after going to bed 30 minutes before. I didn't have my eyes in front of the holes. A child came in with vomiting, I thought of gastro and I didn't see the other symptoms, although he actually had acute hepatitis. It was then that I realized that I could be dangerous. This is proof that when you work 22 hours, you are a zombie.

 "

“ 

I want the situation of medical interns to improve.

I have a daughter who committed suicide by taking medication following professional exhaustion 

, ”testified Laurence Marbach, who founded the Lipseim association (League for the health of medical students and interns) to promote prevention. .

The demonstrators also intended to denounce " 

the pressure, with abusive assignments and blackmail of the chiefs in relation to the diplomas

 ", explained Gaétan Casanova.

“ 

Some professors go beyond their rights by asking for anything and everything.

There is a great deal of pressure,

 ”added Carole Decaester, whose son Laurent committed suicide at the age of 30, after ten years of studying medicine.

We were present alongside @ISNItwit at the demonstration for a count of the working time of #interns and respect for the law, just the law!

And yet, Mr. @olivierveran maintains that an hourly count will only be done if he is obliged to do so pic.twitter.com/8FToezo9Ld

- AJMU - Association of Young Emergency Physicians (@AJMUrgences) June 19, 2021

(With

AFP

)  

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