1.   Doctors said they unionized as the clinic cut the number of physicians, increasing the patient load for the remaining doctors.

2.   He said the new patient load had forced some to hire extra staff.

3.   In New Zealand, Italy and other countries, work stoppages by nurses have forced hospitals to increase personnel and decrease patient load.

4.   Increased patient loads have reduced the time physicians can spend with patients.

5.   Nurses, especially, are seeking jobs with less stress, reduced patient loads, better working hours and more respect.

6.   Other pressures involved their sense of obligation to colleagues who would have to carry their patient load if they were to admit to being ill.

7.   Shawn Nau, county personnel director, said staffing levels have been changed to meet patient load.

8.   Some doctors, including Lewy, say they have taken on large patient loads because many other doctors are ignoring the health problems of women with implants.

9.   Studies in the years since New York City changed its rules suggest that because residents work fewer hours, they have larger patient loads.

10.   Yet patient load alone cannot account for the salary gap.