To sleep or not to sleep?

[SergeGainsbourg]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm talking about post call. You're tired. But If you sleep all day then call essentially takes two days out of your life. If you have a nap you might be rested enough to make a productive day out of it - maybe even get some reading done. Alternatively, you can just not sleep, take in a bunch of caffeine to keep you going (munching on chocolate covered coffee beans works pretty well) and sort of make a personal day out of it. You're too drained to read but you can just hang out and watch movies or do other enjoyable stuff. What's your post call sleep strategy? Sleep or stay awake and use the day?

 

[Blade28]

Nap until mid-afternoon, then relax and do whatever I want for the rest of the day. Go to bed early-ish.

 

[8744]

Nap until mid-afternoon, then relax and do whatever I want for the rest of the day. Go to bed early-ish.

I agree. I find that while the two days gone is a drag, it does make the time fly on a rotation, especially the ones you don't like.

Hey, I try to get to bed by 9:30 every night and get up at 5:30.

 

[DOtobe]

I usually only sleep about 3-4 hours when I am post-call. Post-call days are days I have time to get stuff done, so I don't want to spend all day in bed.

Although luckily for me, my only post-call days are on weekends since we have night float during the week.

 

[Solideliquid]

I usually only sleep about 3-4 hours when I am post-call. Post-call days are days I have time to get stuff done, so I don't want to spend all day in bed.

Although luckily for me, my only post-call days are on weekends since we have night float during the week.

Does the post-call day count as your day off? (if you get out before 12)

 

[Hova2005]

I usually sleep til 5 or 6, wake up, eat, go back to bed around 9.....usually too groggy to get anything productive done. I used to sleep straight through til the next day, but then thought that going that long without any food or fluids was probably not a good idea in the long run 🙄 .

 

[radonc]

I usually sleep til 5 or 6, wake up, eat, go back to bed around 9.....usually too groggy to get anything productive done. I used to sleep straight through til the next day, but then thought that going that long without any food or fluids was probably not a good idea in the long run 🙄 .

ditto the above, thats what i did.
but with the recent advent of night float, post call leaving at noon or 2pm...you guys have it easy!

 

[8744]

Does the post-call day count as your day off? (if you get out before 12)

No. Although technically if they let you off at seven and you don't have to be back until seven this is your 24 hours off free of clinical duties.

This is also a form of sodomy.

I am on a Q4 schedule right now and I get my post call time as well as one day off. Not to bad.

 

[8744]

Does the post-call day count as your day off? (if you get out before 12)

No. Although technically if they let you off at seven and you don't have to be back until seven this is your 24 hours off free of clinical duties.

This is also a form of sodomy.

I am on a Q4 schedule right now and I get my post call time as well as one day off. Not too bad.

 

[Ruban]

Whoa, so you get the post-call day PLUS a full extra day off? So in other words, if you get in at 5 AM on Monday and work 'til 11:00 AM on Tuesday, you don't come back until Thursday!? Nice! The residents at the school where I am have to be back the next morning. I had assumed that was the more common way.

No. Although technically if they let you off at seven and you don't have to be back until seven this is your 24 hours off free of clinical duties.

This is also a form of sodomy.

I am on a Q4 schedule right now and I get my post call time as well as one day off. Not too bad.

 

[Blade28]

Depends on the rotation.

Post-call days are nice because you can go to the bank, store, dry cleaner's, etc. Otherwise, getting home after business hours sucks.

 

[8744]

Whoa, so you get the post-call day PLUS a full extra day off? So in other words, if you get in at 5 AM on Monday and work 'til 11:00 AM on Tuesday, you don't come back until Thursday!? Nice! The residents at the school where I am have to be back the next morning. I had assumed that was the more common way.

If they don't get a full 24 hours off without clinical duties once a week then they are being screwed and their program is in violation of the RRC duty hour rules. In other words, if you leave at 11 and have to be in at 7 AM then that is not 24 hours.

This is why it is so important to find out about call when you put together your rank list. One real day off a week is nice, especially if it comes after your post-call day (which is doesn't have to). Almost like a real weekend. A "quasi-day off" where you are so tired that you sleep through most of it is not really a day off. I imagine that a program that pulls this trick on its residents is probably way over on the duty hours. Five 12 hour days gives you sixty hours. 24 hours on call bumps you to 84. The little bit from 7Am to let's say noon bumps you to 89-90. Definitely a violation of the duty hour rules.

 

[WilcoWorld]

The one day off a week that I get is nice, but it's the added bonus of post-call days that gives me enough time to maintain a balanced life. I use post call days to exercise, then nap, run errands, then meet friends for dinner. They end up being some of my most productive days.

NB: The above applies to off-service rotations. When I'm at home in the ED it's a whole different story.

 

[mysophobe]

I can't sleep post call. Last night I finally got some rest at 11:30, but I got woken up at 1:30, and from 2:30 till 3:30 I was just awake and quiet, not really sleeping. From 3:30 on I was running around. I had a special thing to go to for passover, so I stayed up till about 1 in the morning. That's pretty much what I do anyway though.