SURVIVING & THRIVING ON NIGHT SHIFT By Christina Hornack, DO PGY-3 Adena Emergency Medicine Resident ACOEP-RSO Immediate Past President AOA TIPS Fellow 2020-2021
W
hether you are a full-time nocturnist or just doing your share, night shift is a reality most of us face. This article represents the collected wisdom of those brave warriors who willingly face the dark side as their permanent shift. Learn to not just survive, but thrive, and maybe even enjoy yourself.
enjoy not only a more tailored schedule but often get a differential in any hourly pay structure. Lastly, the environment will often be more relaxed, the team more cohesive, and the interruptions from the senior brass, thankfully, few.
WHY
The primary issue with working nights is getting restorative sleep. It can be difficult to get sleep during the time when the rest of the world is awake, mowing their lawns, and ringing your doorbell to sell magazines. While sleep is usually a very personalized thing, most people find that cold, dark, quiet rooms are the best environment to facilitate those much-needed Zs. Getting them can require a combination of: • Blackout curtains to block daylight • Removable insulation panels that can be slid into the windows as needed • A ceiling fan or window air conditioner to drop the temperature a few degrees • A sound machine to block out more distant sounds by taking advantage of physics You may also benefit from some adjuncts to environmental control, including a comfortable
Why anyone would choose full-time night shift work is often a mystery to those who can’t conceive of a more terrible fate. But there are many benefits to being a full time nocturnist – chief amongst them is that your schedule is regular and always the same. You know you will be able to make a 6:00 p.m. meeting no matter what day it is because your shift doesn’t start until 9:00 p.m. Further, doctors willing to work primarily nights are a premium to any group and
Special thanks to Jennifer Himmel Salch, DO, Jacqueline M Dziedzic, DO, and the entire Women in Emergency Medicine Committee of ACOEP for their collaboration on this article.
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THE PULSE SPRING 2021
SLEEPING
