Back to Nights
Well, it's been a nice (but all too brief) opportunity to revisit the "normal" circadian schedule, but it's back to work tomorrow night. I've had a string of 9 days off, during which time I have completely reversed my usual sleep schedule. I've fallen asleep by 10 or 11 pm every night and awakened by 5 am each morning. The first few days were tough, requiring a couple of naps at odd times here and there, but lately I have slept only once per 24 hours.
It has been wonderful to actually feel awake and mentally sharp during the afternoon hours, something I always had difficulty with on my shorter strings of off days. And it's weird to not be wide awake at 2-3 am, eating a late dinner and tiptoeing around the house.
The first night shift back is going to be difficult, I imagine. Here is some interesting information about shift work sleep disorder.
Labels: ER, nightshifts
posted by scalpel at 11:23 AM
7 Comments:
You and I are alike. I only work Fri, Sat and Sunday nights 7P-7A. But most of the time, I'm there until 8:30 or 9A because I choose not sign out to anyone. I'm pulling the next 4 nights in a row, covering New Year Eve and New Year.
I also end up staying until at least 8 and often 9 am after my shift is supposedly over at 7 am. The call list turns over at 7 am, and so I don't often admit anyone after 5-6 am out of courtesy to the offgoing docs. Unless it's an emergency or we're superbusy still, that is.
The irony is that some of the ongoing docs won't call back until 7:30 or 8, and they will be driving to work then. I get bitched at either way.....by the night docs if I admit someone late, and by the early docs for admitting someone right off the bat. Mornings suck.
I'm also working the next 4 nights, so I'll raise a glass of coffee to you and all the rest of us nighthawks on New Year's Eve.
Has your group ever considered a switch off earlier like 3,4,5 in the am? I am one of the "morning guys" that comes in at 4am. The night guy leaves at 5am and crawls into bed before the sun comes up. That has kept our 3 "night guys" content to do it year after year.
I hear you scalpel. After time off, just when I start to feel like a normal person again with a normal life.....Bam!! My reality sets in again.
We have a double-coverage swing shift that (supposedly) ends at 3 am, but they go home anywhere from 11 pm to 5 am depending on how much business (or how many nurses) we have. I think the overwhelming majority of ED groups have a late shift that goes until 7 or 8 am.
I agree that starting the day shift earlier (say 5 am) would be better, but I can't see it happening in our group. Maybe if all the night guys got together and complained, but even then it would be a tough sell.
Regarding your question about caffeine gum on Gruntdoc:
Found the following by doing a Google search:
Jolt Gum
http://www.joltgum.com/info_gum.html
Stay Alert Military Caffeine Gum
http://www.amazon.com/STAY-ALERT-Military-Caffeine-Energy/dp/B000J2LTNQ
I have an understanding with all the consultants, I won't call them between the hours of 2AM-5:30AM unless it's something that is super emergent or if we need to move people upstairs to make more room in the inn if the night is very busy. Otherwise, I let them sleep. Come 5:30AM they will be paged for admissions.
I've asked all of the consultants their preference on when to be called in the middle of the night, any time or after 5:30. The overwhelming majority of them prefers a few hours of sleep and be called early in the morning, since they have to get up at that time and round on their in-house patients anyway.
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