The Night Shift/On Call Thread

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From attendings to orderlies, EMS to ER, people have to be in the hospital or in an ambulance at all hours of the night, prepared to (tiredly) tackle disaster at any moment. Opportunities for these kinds of jobs are available to premeds. I couldn't find any threads for general discussion, so I thought I'd start one.

While this is located in the premed forum, anyone is welcome.

Are you bored, waiting for about 35 minutes between awkwardly scheduled surgical cases, leaving no point in trying to sleep?

Have any good recommendations for food places that are open all the time?

Ticked that you got woken up for another frequent flyer and need to vent?

Have awesome/miraculous/hilarious stories to tell?

Questions about working these kinds of hours?

This is the thread for you. Night shift represent!

tumblr_mefx1kz1Sp1riml7wo4_500.gif
 
I once took my roommate to the ER at midnight and stayed overnight with him where I subsequently fell asleep. The end
 
blackroses said:
"My 2 year old has a fever!"
"Did you give them tylenol?"
"No, s/he didn't want to take it!"
"OK, here's some tylenol. Make them take it."

That's how approximately 90% of pediatrics patients go in the ER.
Click to expand...

I'm a parent and no one tells me to give my kids medication (though it might be because he vomits every single time even one drop put in without his knowledge).
 
Hospitalized said:
Psych patients who ask for sex. Smh.
Click to expand...

You absolutely can't make up the stuff you hear from inpatient psych wards. A psychiatrist told us about his first psychiatry rotation in medical school. As he was walking into the building, he witnessed "Jesus" and "Satan" getting into a battle over the water fountain. He said that's when he knew.
 
Last edited:
Lawper said:
I'm lost. What do i do when i see technicians trying to shock a flatlining patient?
Click to expand...

Probably explain to them that movies aren't the best sources for medical training.

These are the same people that you'll see limply attempting CPR, bent elbows, half-inch compressions and 200 bpm rate included
 
mehc012 said:
I technically don't work at the hospital anymore, but I like to pick up night shadowing gigs here and there, since that's the only time when there are no other scribes following the doc!
Click to expand...
Speaking of scribes. I remember this one time we were working a code in the ED and this scribe pointed out someones stethoscope was falling off and I should get it, I was in the middle of bagging the patient, and this chick still had the nerve to make a face at me.:stop:
 
I had a morning/day scribe shift today, which sucked. I like nights much better. I only have 4 more shifts left, 2 of which are nights. In my experience, working overnight is hit or miss in terms of whether the ED is busy or not.
 
The call experience varies widely. When I was on surgery, we had to do 24-hour calls once a week (4 calls). I was never woken up once during those calls since nothing came in, so for me it was essentially sleeping in the hospital. However, that was pretty unusual - most of my colleagues were sometimes extremely busy with very little sleep or at least had to see a consult or procedure most nights.

If you're working at a huge academic center, you'll likely be busy if you work overnight. But it also depends on the service. Surgery and medicine, for example, are likely to be busy as there will likely be some patients that require immediately evaluation, management, and admission. You will have to be up and see those patients. For some other services, though, the care isn't quite so emergent. In psych, for example, it isn't uncommon to give orders at home for initial management overnight and then see the patient in the morning. It really depends on the situation, though. Some nights you might have to admit 4-5 patients overnight, which will be a full night of work. Other nights you may not do much of anything. It's highly variable.

I never worked a true overnight shift in the ED (just until 2am), and it was rarely extremely busy past about midnight. Things slowly come to a lull. However, this was at a large community hospital and not an academic center. I imagine things were much different at our "mothership."

tl;dr every call night is an experience, and there's no telling what you're going to see.
 
My clinical volunteering activity involves night calls and I agree with @NickNaylor that it depends on the individual experience and also the general environment/area. When I've done this same activity in a different area I wasn't as busy, but here it is quite busy and I get called often.

mehc012 said:
I technically don't work at the hospital anymore, but I like to pick up night shadowing gigs here and there, since that's the only time when there are no other scribes following the doc!
Click to expand...
This is a good piece of advice and something I had not thought of prior to reading your post. Will look into night shadowing gigs! 😀
 
mehc012 said:
Normal patients who ask for a 'thigh massage' because "I bet if she gave me one I'd feel better." :naughty:
No. :stop::vomit:👎
Click to expand...

"I have breast cancer, can you check it out?"

--A schizophrenic 40 year old woman at 2 AM.
 
Ace Khalifa said:
I had a morning/day scribe shift today, which sucked. I like nights much better. I only have 4 more shifts left, 2 of which are nights. In my experience, working overnight is hit or miss in terms of whether the ED is busy or not.
Click to expand...

It depends a lot for me as well working in recovery overnight. Sometimes there's absolutely nothing. Sometimes there are 3 traumas and 3 kidney transplants and you don't sleep at all. It's often extremely random.
 
"My kid bumped his head and cut himself."
"Where?"
"Up there, his hair is hiding it"
"So you know the ED doc can staple it right?"
"But I want a PLASTIC SURGEON to sew it together. Because my kid deserves the best."
"So what you're telling me is that you want me to call my boss, have him tell me to fix it up, then charge you $5,000 for being out of network?"
"On second thought, where's that stapler. I'll do it myself."
 
Its crazy how many of you are talking trash on patients and you aren't even in medical school yet... You sure this is the profession for you?
 
Wooo, I love staying up late to studying for finals! Said no one ever.
 
vantheman said:
Its crazy how many of you are talking trash on patients and you aren't even in medical school yet... You sure this is the profession for you?
Click to expand...
I love my patients, even if they are faking something. I am the compassion master.
 
vantheman said:
Its crazy how many of you are talking trash on patients and you aren't even in medical school yet... You sure this is the profession for you?
Click to expand...
Not all patients are the perfect, ideal patient everyone imagines. You'll be much happier in the healthcare profession if you can learn how to laugh off some of your patients actions instead of taking them personally.
 
vantheman said:
Its crazy how many of you are talking trash on patients and you aren't even in medical school yet... You sure this is the profession for you?
Click to expand...
You do realize a lot of us work in health care right? That means we have patients we oversee and care for.

Ouch, seems like you're behind the curve here huh, pal?

BTW, this is how SDN is reading your comment: "You sure this is da caweew u want 4 the rest of ur lyfe? You not gon be good doctor like ME."
 
I just remembered another good ER quote:

Middle-aged female came in complaining of blurred vision in her left eye. Everyone is thinking stroke, as she had some risk factors. 20 minutes after admittance to the ER, she's chatting with a nurse and says "all the women in my family get this blurred vision occasionally. It's some sort of stomach condition, because if we take a couple of tums and drink a cup of tea, it goes away!" We had to hold back laughter while informing her that no, her blurred vision was not in fact related to a stomach condition and no, the tums were not curing it, she has atypical migraine presentation and it was the caffeine in the tea that working the magic.
 
baughlieve said:
So true, I packed a banana and Orange for a quick snack during the night. Get my break and I have a 1/4 lb angus bacon burger with curly fries and energy drink
Click to expand...
That damn food looks so delicious at 3Am.
 
I always eat like a slob during these things.. Had a milkshake and chili cheese dog from Sonic the other day. If you think it's not late at night food, we'll find a way to turn it into that.

Had a pt come in with a pin in their abdominal cavity late... Said they "rolled over onto a pin cushion." Woke up from surgery with some great pain acting screaming "they told me I'd get a PCA!!!"

Yeah.. When you come in screaming the technical term for a morphine pump, I have a hard time believing that little pin just found its way through layers of skin, fat and muscle all by itself.
 
UNMedGa said:
I always eat like a slob during these things.. Had a milkshake and chili cheese dog from Sonic the other day. If you think it's not late at night food, we'll find a way to turn it into that.

Had a pt come in with a pin in their abdominal cavity late... Said they "rolled over onto a pin cushion." Woke up from surgery with some great pain acting screaming "they told me I'd get a PCA!!!"

Yeah.. When you come in screaming the technical term for a morphine pump, I have a hard time believing that little pin just found its way through layers of skin, fat and muscle all by itself.
Click to expand...
I literally just ate a foot long sub, two bags of chips, one orange juice, 1 large bag of curly fries and now I'm finishing up an medium oreo milkshake.

I literally told myself before I came in that I wouldn't eat out. AHHGHGHFGHGF
 
We also had this kid who had a dislocated shoulder. He was a beast and denied procedural sedation/ pain killers while the Dr. was torquing his arm to get his shoulder back in place.
 
vantheman said:
Its crazy how many of you are talking trash on patients and you aren't even in medical school yet... You sure this is the profession for you?
Click to expand...

I have been in EMS for going on ten years, started as a volunteer EMT and worked my way to where I am now doing flight paramedicine. Just as in anything in life, you will run into patients who are just full of dumb, either they don't know better, or they just have a skewed view of reality. In the moment I take care of them, they get my full, undivided attention and complete compassion. Once I have dropped them off, their brand of stupid is fair game for me and my partner. I have spent years working out of ditches and gutters, not once did I ever not provide the best possible care for my patient, but the only way to work in health care without losing your mind is being able to find a decompression valve. Just because we poke fun at the stuff patients say or do, does not mean that we in any way do not provide for their well-being. And if you think this trait is unique to SDN, you are going to have a very rough awakening once you hit the healthcare field.

Reminds me of a patient I had a few years back:
[3am on a saturday, this is my 16th call of the day, an engine, ambulance and two PD cars show up for the call]
me: "What seems to be the problem tonight ma'am"
her: "I stubbed my toe against the door trying to go get some water from the kitchen, I think it might be broken."
her husband: "We want to get it looked at by a doctor"
[In my head I am thinking about asking if he broke his feet too]
me: "Why don't you just take her yourself and save the money for the ambulance trip, I don't mind taking her, but there isn't really anything I can do."
him: "We need her to be seen immediately, we don't want to wait around a bunch of sick people"
me: "Even if we take her, if there are more critical patients, you'll get put in the waiting area"
him: "That's not true at all, just take her"
[Load her on the stretcher, transport to their preferred facility. Only an extra 10 minutes.]
Triage nurse: We are backed up with traumas and OD's, take her to the waiting room.
[Start wheeling the lady towards the waiting area and she starts screaming that I am violating her rights, and trying to abduct her]
me: "Ma'am, please calm down, they are very busy here and they don't have any beds available"
her: "Well, **** you, take me to a different hospital."
me: "I can't do that, I need to clear up and go back in service for other patients, let me help you off the stretcher."
At this point she starts thrashing around, trying to hit me, throwing anything within reach etc. The administrative supervisor, charge nurse, one of the attendings, and security all show up. Husband finally walks in, and starts adding to the fray, cursing at all of the staff, all while the lady is still on my stretcher. My supervisor calls and asks why I am still at destination, I explain, and he drives down to the hospital as well. The husband keeps demanding to speak to the hospital CEO, that he is some important lawyer and is going to ensure all of us lose our jobs and is going to sue us to kingdom come. Finally the police show up because the lady called them during all of this. After hearing the full story, they give the couple two options, get into a waiting room chair or go to jail. They continue to curse and carry on, but finally the lady gets off my stretcher. I get a signature and they storm off out the front door. Fast forward a few months later and I find out they are suing me for dereliction of duty, that I failed to properly care for the patient etc etc. We gather all of the security footage, my chart etc and go to a hearing before the judge, our company lawyers had filed for a summary dismissal of the lawsuit. He hears all of the testimony and promptly throws out the case.

You can bet this story has been told many times over the years and mr. bigshot lawyer and his wife have been the butt end of many a joke. Yes it was my patient, but she exhibited such a level of dumb that it surpassed all expectations. How else are you supposed to deal with that but laugh about it afterwards?



Cpt Ahab said:
I go into overnights like, "I'm gon' eat super healthy tonight."

Fast forward six hours later and I'm eating a sub sandwhich, muscle milk, cheetos, MnMs, and a raisin cookie. :laugh:
Click to expand...

And/Or eating the donuts left over from the morning shift.
 
EParker37 said:
I have been in EMS for going on ten years, started as a volunteer EMT and worked my way to where I am now doing flight paramedicine. Just as in anything in life, you will run into patients who are just full of dumb, either they don't know better, or they just have a skewed view of reality. In the moment I take care of them, they get my full, undivided attention and complete compassion. Once I have dropped them off, their brand of stupid is fair game for me and my partner. I have spent years working out of ditches and gutters, not once did I ever not provide the best possible care for my patient, but the only way to work in health care without losing your mind is being able to find a decompression valve. Just because we poke fun at the stuff patients say or do, does not mean that we in any way do not provide for their well-being. And if you think this trait is unique to SDN, you are going to have a very rough awakening once you hit the healthcare field.

Reminds me of a patient I had a few years back:
[3am on a saturday, this is my 16th call of the day, an engine, ambulance and two PD cars show up for the call]
me: "What seems to be the problem tonight ma'am"
her: "I stubbed my toe against the door trying to go get some water from the kitchen, I think it might be broken."
her husband: "We want to get it looked at by a doctor"
[In my head I am thinking about asking if he broke his feet too]
me: "Why don't you just take her yourself and save the money for the ambulance trip, I don't mind taking her, but there isn't really anything I can do."
him: "We need her to be seen immediately, we don't want to wait around a bunch of sick people"
me: "Even if we take her, if there are more critical patients, you'll get put in the waiting area"
him: "That's not true at all, just take her"
[Load her on the stretcher, transport to their preferred facility. Only an extra 10 minutes.]
Triage nurse: We are backed up with traumas and OD's, take her to the waiting room.
[Start wheeling the lady towards the waiting area and she starts screaming that I am violating her rights, and trying to abduct her]
me: "Ma'am, please calm down, they are very busy here and they don't have any beds available"
her: "Well, **** you, take me to a different hospital."
me: "I can't do that, I need to clear up and go back in service for other patients, let me help you off the stretcher."
At this point she starts thrashing around, trying to hit me, throwing anything within reach etc. The administrative supervisor, charge nurse, one of the attendings, and security all show up. Husband finally walks in, and starts adding to the fray, cursing at all of the staff, all while the lady is still on my stretcher. My supervisor calls and asks why I am still at destination, I explain, and he drives down to the hospital as well. The husband keeps demanding to speak to the hospital CEO, that he is some important lawyer and is going to ensure all of us lose our jobs and is going to sue us to kingdom come. Finally the police show up because the lady called them during all of this. After hearing the full story, they give the couple two options, get into a waiting room chair or go to jail. They continue to curse and carry on, but finally the lady gets off my stretcher. I get a signature and they storm off out the front door. Fast forward a few months later and I find out they are suing me for dereliction of duty, that I failed to properly care for the patient etc etc. We gather all of the security footage, my chart etc and go to a hearing before the judge, our company lawyers had filed for a summary dismissal of the lawsuit. He hears all of the testimony and promptly throws out the case.

You can bet this story has been told many times over the years and mr. bigshot lawyer and his wife have been the butt end of many a joke. Yes it was my patient, but she exhibited such a level of dumb that it surpassed all expectations. How else are you supposed to deal with that but laugh about it afterwards?





And/Or eating the donuts left over from the morning shift.
Click to expand...
You're a great story teller! *claps*

Give us another!
 
Ace Khalifa said:
I had a morning/day scribe shift today, which sucked. I like nights much better. I only have 4 more shifts left, 2 of which are nights. In my experience, working overnight is hit or miss in terms of whether the ED is busy or not.
Click to expand...

Are you sad to be done?
 
JimmyB123 said:
Are you sad to be done?
Click to expand...
Yes and no. I won't miss the general environment of the ED or certain patients like drug seekers. I will miss the doctors I've worked with.
 
EParker37 said:
I have been in EMS for going on ten years, started as a volunteer EMT and worked my way to where I am now doing flight paramedicine. Just as in anything in life, you will run into patients who are just full of dumb, either they don't know better, or they just have a skewed view of reality. In the moment I take care of them, they get my full, undivided attention and complete compassion. Once I have dropped them off, their brand of stupid is fair game for me and my partner. I have spent years working out of ditches and gutters, not once did I ever not provide the best possible care for my patient, but the only way to work in health care without losing your mind is being able to find a decompression valve. Just because we poke fun at the stuff patients say or do, does not mean that we in any way do not provide for their well-being. And if you think this trait is unique to SDN, you are going to have a very rough awakening once you hit the healthcare field.

Reminds me of a patient I had a few years back:
[3am on a saturday, this is my 16th call of the day, an engine, ambulance and two PD cars show up for the call]
me: "What seems to be the problem tonight ma'am"
her: "I stubbed my toe against the door trying to go get some water from the kitchen, I think it might be broken."
her husband: "We want to get it looked at by a doctor"
[In my head I am thinking about asking if he broke his feet too]
me: "Why don't you just take her yourself and save the money for the ambulance trip, I don't mind taking her, but there isn't really anything I can do."
him: "We need her to be seen immediately, we don't want to wait around a bunch of sick people"
me: "Even if we take her, if there are more critical patients, you'll get put in the waiting area"
him: "That's not true at all, just take her"
[Load her on the stretcher, transport to their preferred facility. Only an extra 10 minutes.]
Triage nurse: We are backed up with traumas and OD's, take her to the waiting room.
[Start wheeling the lady towards the waiting area and she starts screaming that I am violating her rights, and trying to abduct her]
me: "Ma'am, please calm down, they are very busy here and they don't have any beds available"
her: "Well, **** you, take me to a different hospital."
me: "I can't do that, I need to clear up and go back in service for other patients, let me help you off the stretcher."
At this point she starts thrashing around, trying to hit me, throwing anything within reach etc. The administrative supervisor, charge nurse, one of the attendings, and security all show up. Husband finally walks in, and starts adding to the fray, cursing at all of the staff, all while the lady is still on my stretcher. My supervisor calls and asks why I am still at destination, I explain, and he drives down to the hospital as well. The husband keeps demanding to speak to the hospital CEO, that he is some important lawyer and is going to ensure all of us lose our jobs and is going to sue us to kingdom come. Finally the police show up because the lady called them during all of this. After hearing the full story, they give the couple two options, get into a waiting room chair or go to jail. They continue to curse and carry on, but finally the lady gets off my stretcher. I get a signature and they storm off out the front door. Fast forward a few months later and I find out they are suing me for dereliction of duty, that I failed to properly care for the patient etc etc. We gather all of the security footage, my chart etc and go to a hearing before the judge, our company lawyers had filed for a summary dismissal of the lawsuit. He hears all of the testimony and promptly throws out the case.

You can bet this story has been told many times over the years and mr. bigshot lawyer and his wife have been the butt end of many a joke. Yes it was my patient, but she exhibited such a level of dumb that it surpassed all expectations. How else are you supposed to deal with that but laugh about it afterwards?





And/Or eating the donuts left over from the morning shift.
Click to expand...

This is one reason I hate lawyers.. they think they're invincible.

That and they've single handedly raised our healthcare costs in this country..
 
Cpt Ahab said:
I literally just ate a foot long sub, two bags of chips, one orange juice, 1 large bag of curly fries and now I'm finishing up an medium oreo milkshake.

I literally told myself before I came in that I wouldn't eat out. AHHGHGHFGHGF
Click to expand...

Good grief! That will be fun to try and digest if you have the kind of shift where you get to sleep an hour or two.

Problem with my hospital is the cafeteria closes so you either bring something from home (which guarantees it will be crappy, at least for me) or eat out.
 
UNMedGa said:
Good grief! That will be fun to try and digest if you have the kind of shift where you get to sleep an hour or two.

Problem with my hospital is the cafeteria closes so you either bring something from home (which guarantees it will be crappy, at least for me) or eat out.
Click to expand...
Yeah it's not that much because I work out twice a day but it wasn't nutritious.
 
UNMedGa said:
Good grief! That will be fun to try and digest if you have the kind of shift where you get to sleep an hour or two.

Problem with my hospital is the cafeteria closes so you either bring something from home (which guarantees it will be crappy, at least for me) or eat out.
Click to expand...
What are good late night places to get some food? When I'm on a shift I find myself ordering a large order around 8PM because I know we won't get to go eat out again in the night.
 
The Buff OP said:
What are good late night places to get some food? When I'm on a shift I find myself ordering a large order around 8PM because I know we won't get to go eat out again in the night.
Click to expand...
That really depends on your geo location. Obviously if you're working in a city you should be able to find something reasonable. I usually try to hit a 24/7 grocery store to buy prepped food but you may not have that in your area. If you're open to cliff bars, they will definitely keep you sustained.
 
Last edited:
Cpt Ahab said:
That really depends on your geo location. Obviously if you're working in a city you should be able to find something reasonable. I usually try to hit a 24/7 grocery store to by prepped food but you may not have that in your area. If you're open to cliff bars, they will definiteyl keep you sustained.
Click to expand...
I bought cliff bars one time for everyone, during the day they ignored them, but in the night when everything was closed and it was call after call, cliff bars were the best food ever. lol
:soexcited::corny:
We do have some Krogers that are open 24/7, though. I'm too lazy to make my own meal usually when I do a shift it is cheat day for me and I could only cook boring old healthy food.
 
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