Saturday, April 8, 2017

Overnight Hospital Shifts: What To Take On Call

So you're really excited about becoming an intern..for some reason unfathomable to me.  Or you're a nurse, paramedic, upper level resident, etc.

As Napoleon once said, an army marches on it's stomach, but there are additional things you need to consider when going on call.  Go on enough calls and the psychological component starts wearing on you.  You might be q2 call or q3 for years..

The unprepared person takes nothing on call but maybe they're wallet and a stethoscope.  You'll have to do your best to be comfortable for an uncomfortable 24h+ stay in the hospital away from people and friends you love.

Clothing:
1. Backup pair of scrubs in addition to the ones you have on.  Expect blood and fluids to get on you every call.
2. A light jacket with pockets.  Soft shell jackets are best because they're somewhat water resistant and you they don't fray like sweaters.
3.  Extra pair of socks, especially if your shoes aren't so well ventilated.
4. A breathable pair of running/walking shoes.  Some people swear by those clunky clogs, but I prefer running shoes with or without insoles for comfort.  Contrary to television and movies, you don't really run in the hospital, so the clogs aren't so limiting.
5.  Extra t-shirt along with some regular clothes (more optional than anything).  It's nice changing out of your scrubs to go pick up some breakfast or something and look like a normal person.

Rations:
1. Real food cooked from home, 2 meals for when you're on 24h+ call.  Who ever truly feels fed after eating a granola bar?  Those don't really do anything for my mood.  Take granola/protein bars for emergencies (as in you're headed to a trauma or going to be scrubbed in for hours and you haven't had time to eat anything).
2. A water bottle, since some hospitals are terrible about having a water supply nearby.  If you get to lay down on call, it'll be nice having water in reach.
3. Potentially a thermos container for warm food/soup.  Soup and stew can do a lot for your morale.

Morale Items:
1. Tablet for looking things up and listening to music when you have time.  They generally have more battery reserve than phones, too.
2. Bluetooth speaker.  Nice to have in your call room, especially if you're an audiophile.  I like this one , but the DKnight Magicbox II is good if you're on a budget.
3. Foot powder.  Might sound weird, but it's great having nice, dry feet on such a long shift, especially around hour 18
4. Toothpaste and toothbrush
5. Breath mints or listerine strips to help you feel fresh  
I'm so tired and still have a long way to go today.  cheers.  I hope your call shifts become more comfortable and bearable

No comments:

Post a Comment