Call nights - pager

[maverick_pkg]

There is this strange problem that I had on 2 occasions. If I sleep on call, I didnt hear my pager as was so tired and fast asleep. So I just stopped sleeping which I figured was safer. Any of u a similar problem? Any solution?

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[Blade28]

I've had this problem before...

Usually I just leave one of the lights on...that helps prevent me from falling too deep into sleep.

I also put the pager right next to my head, when it's on the bedside table.

 

[Pilot Doc]

I've had this problem before...
Usually I just leave one of the lights on

ditto

 

[Shalom77]

after i slept through a page as an intern on peds surgery, the chief resident of the service took me down to the pager techs in the basement and had them set my pager to a setting where it continuously rang until it was checked.

Note: this pager setting made the circulating nurses in the OR unhappy since they couldn't ignore my pager in the OR.

Otherwise I'd sleep with the lights on, with my shoes on - to keep from falling asleep too deeply. I also slept with my pager by my ear. It's a great way to develop a sleep disorder.

 

[Blade28]

BTW, just be thankful you're getting a chance to lie down and nap when you're on-call. Not all rotations are that merciful.

 

[maverick_pkg]

hey thanks guys...great suggestions. will try to incorporate some this month as little light till sept comes

 

[CTS]

I use vibration + beeping and don't take it off. It helps. But I don't get a chance to sleep for more than 20-30 minutes at a time. And most of the time I don't sleep at all.

 

[Winged Scapula]

after i slept through a page as an intern on peds surgery, the chief resident of the service took me down to the pager techs in the basement and had them set my pager to a setting where it continuously rang until it was checked.

Note: this pager setting made the circulating nurses in the OR unhappy since they couldn't ignore my pager in the OR.

Actually, that could come in handy...I have a "pet peeve" about circulators not answering pages, I understand when they are busy but most of the time what they are doing can wait until after the page is answered.

Selective hearing is not just the province of men...I am positive that OR circulators have it for pagers as well. For some reason, they just don't hear that nagging beep of an unanswered pager.

 

[droliver]

I just clipped my to the neck of my scrubs when I slept.

 

[lura]

ditto the clipping to your pager to the neck of your scrubs - when it goes off at less than 2 inches from my ear, its hard to ignore. i've found that works well for me.

 

[maxheadroom]

I had a friend who wore it clipped to a headband, right by his ear. All of this nonsense about sleeping in your shoes or with the lights on . . . ugh. Find a way to make it so you wake up to the pager without depriving yourself of decent sleep when you actually get the chance to rest.

 

[Amy]

Put it on vibrate and tape it to your forehead.

 

[SteadyEddy]

Clip it to your chest on beep then vibrate. Arousing in more ways than one

 

[NDESTRUKT]

ur chest? you mean in ur pants right? ok jk

 

[SLUser11]

There is this strange problem that I had on 2 occasions. If I sleep on call, I didnt hear my pager as was so tired and fast asleep. So I just stopped sleeping which I figured was safer. Any of u a similar problem? Any solution?

There's nothing worse than waking up and hearing the single beep indicating your pager has been going off for a while. I can't say that it hasn't happened to me. Especially since we have home call.

Once, I didn't wake up to the page x 2, or my cell phone which subsequently rang (I have my cell phone set up as backup with the hospital operators). I finally heard the ominous single beep at 4am. By that time, the nurse had paged my chief resident (at 2am) for the problem. He wasn't happy, but he understood, likely because it's happened to him too....

One of my co-residents rolled over on his stomach, and missed about 14 pages over 2-3 hours.

Everyone has this fear/anxiety, and most people have accidentally slept through pages......the above suggestions seem good, I honestly don't have any input, just wanted to share....

 

[Dr JPH]

I too clip my pager to the neck of my scrub top, but I dont ever sleep well on call so everything wakes me up.

One of the problems I encounter is when I take call at one of the community hospitals we cover. Only docs in house: 1 ER attending, 1 Moonlighter, 2 Interns.

Problem? ER doc cant leave the ER and many of the moonlighters dont really give a damn.

The other problem is the pagers are notoriously slow...not bad normally, but when theres a code it could be 5-6 minutes before you get the page after the overhead page goes out.

The only night I slept well on call is when one of the intern on-call pagers lost its life due to an unfortunate toilet accident. The operator then paged the sole surviving pager all night. I got to sleep thanks to my winning strategy at rock-paper-scissors.

 

[Surgeon24]

Pager on bedside table works best for me. Too close (i.e. collar) and I turn off without knowing it beeped

Also, I tell the operator to call me in my room if I'm not answering my calls.