Night Shift

A week of nights almost completed, when I have managed to actually avoid mentioning the fact that I am on nights and how difficult I am finding them. That must be a first; my zero numbered readership must be delighted? Well I have been on nights and they have been as traditionally difficult as they always are. After promising not to write (or moan) about nocturanl shifts this week, tonight has provoked comment 'cause it's just so blooming quiet.

Clearly it's going to remain like this until morning, none of the patients here tonight really need to be in hospital. Tonight we are just overgrown babysitters for a pair of teenagers.

It really is a Black Friday.

When it's like this I have to set boundaries to make the shift cope able- not to read until after midnight, eat at two, do those nightly jobs at four and write in the notes at six. In breaking the shift down it appears to become more manageable. There is little to compare in bleakness to sitting down at ten o'clock at night knowing there are nine and a half hours ahead of you before you can depart home again.

It's been a real dragger, one of the worst for sometime I'd suggest. A symptom of the times to come perhaps? I'm pleased to say that tonight is my last night shift of 2011, I have none roistered for December (the power of office), I dare say I'll have to pick up a few in January , but that's in 2012- a whole year away. Who knows what will have happened by then?

All week the prospect of closing has loomed large as we have gradually discharged all our long-term patients and shorter emergency admissions have continued to dry up as they always do at this time of the year. It could all change very quickly, a bit of good weather (or particularly bad weather) and we maybe full and guaranteed to be open until Christmas.

With the closure of beds throughout the hospital I think our available beds could be worth more than our available staff, which is a first. The need to accommodate patients becomes more valued than our ability to provide support to other areas.

I would like us to remain open until March 2012, with no deviation in activity or occupation to illustrate that there is a constant need for trauma beds throughout the year and ensures the Trust commit to this. I don’t like being moved, it’s unsettling to be taken out of your comfort zones at any time, but it is particularly difficult when on nights. I don’t function as well when I’m on nights, an age thing perhaps? I think I could now legitimately opt out of them, but they continue to serve a purpose; in doing them it promotes teamwork (the more people who do nights, the more it allows the shifts to be slightly diluted so that everyone generally does less nocturnal shifts) and it provides me with time to catch up with paperwork and jobs relatively free from day to day distraction. The disadvantage is that it’s harder to contact people and gain swift answers.

One thing that has been good is that I have slept better in the day, not waking until mid-afternoon as opposed to midday. I was exhausted on Monday, consequently slept well on Tuesday. You wonder if it’s a matter of routine, doing or not doing certain things, that encourages a better period of rest. Each morning I have watched a bit of television propped up until my eyes are heavy, briefly popped to the toilet and then ear plugs in and eye-patch on and to sleep I go. I’ve also made sure that I’ve ate something more substantial during the night to stave off hunger cravings that usually wake me. Whether it’s this or just actual tiredness I’m unsure, but as it appears to have worked I’m not going to over think it!