h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

03/09/2010
05:45
FY1 On-call (Ashman)

I'm not sure yet whether I like working nights. They're certainly not boring - you get to practice various practical skills (Yay! Another catheter!), there are plenty of biscuits to snaffle, and there's the satisfaction of managing an acutely ill patient correctly. And when things occasionally do get boring, you get to sleep for half an hour on a row of chairs (it sounds uncomfortable, but it's strangely refreshing).

There are two main catches, though - firstly, they're nights (9pm 'til 9.30am for four nights), and secondly, I've been covering something like 150 patients - it gets rather busy at times. Ok, I know, in the old days all doctors worked constantly without rest for days on end, and I should be ashamed for only working 48 hours a week, but I still fall asleep pretty soon after I've got home and had breakfast .

I suppose the fact that I'm still enjoying it is what counts.

Alex

For heaven's sake, how much practice do you need? You should be doing it in anger by now!

Well, I do hope you're getting some sleep right now...

*trips over size 11 shoes in the dark*


Ooops... Sowwy

Bear in Mind that In The Old days you would usually cover less wards, and actually get some sleep some of the time!

12 hour flat out shifts at night are fairly new. Mind you I remember still doing 7 in a row more often than not.

Yeah, thankfully they split them up into 4 week nights and 3 weekend nights - even if that does mean doing twice as many runs of nights, it means that they're more or less manageable.

Speaking of practice, I took a cheap used car for a test drive today, having not driven in about six years... No, I didn't stall or hit anything, but I've found where those hairs on the back of my neck are again.

I prefer the 7 weeks of nights, also I hate the amount of time you get off after nights, it means effectively that you're away from the ward for 2 weeks just to staff the hospital at night for 7 days.

Sorry I should add that once I've got my circandian rhythm onto nights I find it easier to stay on nights all week, rather than come off them.

For me going on or off nights involves either 24 hours of waking, or 24 hours of sleep. The waking is unpleasent, and the sleep is time consuming.