Night Shift | How a Video Game is Changing Trauma Triage
July 29, 2025 · news
Better Decisions: Doctors who played Night Shift significantly reduced undertriage, meaning fewer severely injured patients were mistakenly kept at a non-trauma center when they should have been transferred
A Shift in Mindset: The game actually had a greater impact on doctors' willingness to transfer patients (their "decisional threshold") than on their pure ability to recognize severe injuries (their "perceptual sensitivity"). This suggests the game helped them feel more confident and proactive in making those critical transfer decisions
Almost Everyone Benefits: The study found that the game was largely beneficial for most doctors, with only minor differences based on factors like age or gender. Interestingly, busier physicians (those working 10+ shifts a month) showed an even greater improvement, possibly because they have less time for traditional training
