Never thought I'd say this...
Things I miss about night shift
-It's a pure set and forget shift. You take handover, plan your night, and 90% of the time you just follow the plan.
Obs. Meds. wash. more meds. more obs. handover again.
Stare at someone hopefully sleeping most of the time. Wake them up for a GCS or by accident opening that packet of N/S 100mls (oops)
- No managers around (or limited management staff)
So you can be naughty whilst your patient sleeps (eat snacks)- and if your pt is sedated and/or paralysed, have longer time to chat with other staff members (less so if pt is trying to sleep).
- Few (if any) scans or tests : other than your 0200 bloods, or if shit hits the fan: you don't have to pack up your patient to go anywhere for a scan, and then have the hassle of unpacking them and catching up on things you missed while you were gone. Going for a scan at midnight generally only happens in an emergency, where things have really gone sour and your night is going to be shit anyway, and your pt is probably intubated and sedated to the high heavens so at least you don't need to deal with whining or confusion.
-That the first night shift was like "another day off" as was the day after your night- shift. These were "reasons to chill day". And although it was shitty that you had to work at 08:00 on your day off , you still had the whole day to do whatever you wanted (sleep, mostly). Overall it's a chill time.
-It's a pure set and forget shift. You take handover, plan your night, and 90% of the time you just follow the plan.
Obs. Meds. wash. more meds. more obs. handover again.
Stare at someone hopefully sleeping most of the time. Wake them up for a GCS or by accident opening that packet of N/S 100mls (oops)
- No managers around (or limited management staff)
So you can be naughty whilst your patient sleeps (eat snacks)- and if your pt is sedated and/or paralysed, have longer time to chat with other staff members (less so if pt is trying to sleep).
- Few (if any) scans or tests : other than your 0200 bloods, or if shit hits the fan: you don't have to pack up your patient to go anywhere for a scan, and then have the hassle of unpacking them and catching up on things you missed while you were gone. Going for a scan at midnight generally only happens in an emergency, where things have really gone sour and your night is going to be shit anyway, and your pt is probably intubated and sedated to the high heavens so at least you don't need to deal with whining or confusion.
-That the first night shift was like "another day off" as was the day after your night- shift. These were "reasons to chill day". And although it was shitty that you had to work at 08:00 on your day off , you still had the whole day to do whatever you wanted (sleep, mostly). Overall it's a chill time.