A 34-year-old night-shift nurse is involved in a near-miss m…
A 34-year-old night-shift nurse is involved in a near-miss medication error after working three consecutive 12-hour shifts with only 4-5 hours of sleep per night. During evaluation, the nurse admits feeling “foggy” and struggling to stay awake during the shift. Which physiological mechanism best explains the psychomotor impairment equivalent to alcohol intoxication observed in this scenario?