Anybody work only 24 hour shifts?

[BruceWillie]

1. How many per month do you work?

2. Do you get at least 5 hours of sleep on most nights?

3. Do you feel comfortable letting PA's triage while you're asleep?

4. Are most of the PA's in low volume areas more or less experienced on average?

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[GeneralVeers]

I did 24-hour shifts once and will never again. To do these, you need to have a place with extremely low average volume between 12 AM and 7 AM so you can get at least a few hours sleep. Even 1-2 patients during that time period is enough to mess up your sleep schedule.

 

[Apollyon]

I work half my time at a critical access hospital. Unlike other posters, that equate working more than 10 hours as the same as being restrained and beaten with rubber hoses and broom sticks, it doesn't affect me as much, at all, even if I am up for the entire 24 hours. Our average is 20 patients in a 24 hour period. It's not a given that I'll get any sleep. I think I'm older that the folks decrying 12 and 24 hour shifts, too.

And if you're at a place with 24 hour shifts, but also have a midlevel, well, now, that is a job to avoid. If there's enough volume to support a midlevel, then there's enough volume to go to 12 hour shifts.

 

[GeneralVeers]

I think we all respond to sleep deprivation differently. If I don't have at least 5 hours within a 24/hour period, I notice a sharp decline in mental acuity, and I get really really grumpy. If you are one of the lucky few who can: 1. Fall asleep within a few seconds of lying down, or 2. Go 24 hours + with no sleep and still be functional, then 24-hour shifts are for you.

 

[TrumpetDoc]

Done some at place with 5000 visits per year!
Sleep plenty and get lots done
At this volume if prefer 48 hr shift, but hospital won't do it.


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[Old_Mil]

I did 24-hour shifts once and will never again. To do these, you need to have a place with extremely low average volume between 12 AM and 7 AM so you can get at least a few hours sleep. Even 1-2 patients during that time period is enough to mess up your sleep schedule.

This. I would say that you have to be below 7000 visits a year for 24s to be workable. My first post residency job was advertised as 9,000 and was 24s. in reality it was closer to 11,000. I would have rather gone back to residency for a fourth year than do that.

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[Mighty Mouse]

I moonlighted (moonlit??) at a 24 hr gig as a senior resident. Low volume, variable, sometimes high acuity. Single coverage all 24 hrs. You need to be careful -- you need to take this job assuming each shift you will get no sleep. Certainly you cannot expect 5 continuous hours of uninterrupted sleep. Even in a low volume environment, you will get that 3am trickler that comes in for a rash or something stupid, and you're awake and grumpy. I found I actually did most of my resting at the front end of my shift, and then by 3pm things were pretty constant through 3am. My shift was 9a-9a. I personally think as soon as you take any job with the assumption you're going to sleep, you will be severely disappointed and grumpy anytime you're not getting that sleep.

 

[Apollyon]

Hmm...I wonder what our OP did to get banned. And s/he even got 1 like on 3 posts!