Hey ya’ll so over the last few weeks I’ve been working so hard! I completed 6 call shifts, studied for our ITE (in training exam) and started to potty-train my 18 month old. Phew it’s been a lot to say the least. My IG also recently was hacked 😭 so since I am starting over I decided to try to get on the IG-reel trend.
Check out my first reel below and then keep scrolling to check of my top tips for how to survive your 24 hour call shift.
Being a resident, you quickly get acclimated with call shifts haha. I remember doing my first shift and being SO nervous, would I be able to stay awake for that long? Will I survive my first night away from my new baby? What happens if I don’t know what’s going on with my patient?? Well let’s dive in below!
Attitude:
Try to go in with a positive attitude. Trust me, I know call can really be a pain; your away from your family, working even longer hours than normal and now dealing with the hospital being so short staffed is an added stressor. After working 6 call shifts this last month in order to survive mentally I switched up attitude. Try telling yourself you’ve been placed here to LEARN, you will become a better physician or trainee doing this.
Build your tribe at work:
If you haven’t figured this out in medicine you can’t make it without a support system. As an anesthesia resident I often don’t see my co-residents throughout the day especially on call. So I’ve made a point to make good work relationships with the OR staff and pre-op/PACU nurses. Social interactions can really help your mental health especially when you work together so frequently.
PACK GOOD FOOD (and water):
I dont know about you but our hospital kitchen is not it on the at night or on the weeknds. So I make a point to either cook something that I truely enjoy or if I’m in pinch I order a take meal as a treat. I look forward to my food breaks on call it’s a way to nourish your body and feel comfort. Also pack snacks, those come in handy if your so busy you don’t have time to eat a full meal.
Sleep when you can:
It may be so tempting to try to watch netflix, study, and etc during your down time but for me I’ve burned a few times by doing this. Of course if your not tired by all mean do what makes you happy during the downtime. But if your feeling tired, give yourself the OK to catch up on some rest. Call is unpredictable you never know when you will be up all night and wishing you slept earlier.
Take care of yourself first:
It’s so easy to put the patient or your job first as a healthcare worker but in reality YOUR just as important and should come first. So take the couple extra seconds to take a deep breath, put your mask/PPE on to protect yourself, and then go on to your designated duty.
Hope this helps!