Night Float Survival Tips
Written by Morgan Pratt, MD
Your night float rotation can vary greatly based on specialty and institution. As a family medicine resident at a community hospital, our role is unique to that at an academic center because it is a one-resident job! We cross-cover our different services including our family practice adult inpatients, and two other lists covered by the hospitalist during the day, our postpartum patients, newborn babies, and RRTs (rapid responses/codes), all while also helping the nocturnists with admissions. Seems like a big job, right?
Here are some tips to not only survive, but thrive:
Sleep: for me, I personally flip completely to make sure I get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep during the day. This means that I don’t nap during my work hours. This can be different for those who want to prioritize being awake during the day to see their family and kids. Find what works for you but make sure you are getting rest somewhere during the day/night!
Movement: Find ways to move your body intentionally before or during work. Go for a short walk, bring a yoga mat, or ride on that stationary bike that’s tucked away in your call room. Sometimes if I have time I do a short yoga flow in our call room!
Make a routine: having a semi-set schedule can keep you sane as you flip from day to night. I continue my “morning” rituals of making coffee, hanging out with my pup, and listening to music as I get ready for the day.
Workflow: Organize your night with any tasks you need to follow up on with either a list, highlighter, or colorful pen colors! Clear your Epic alerts, so it's obvious when new results pop in, etc.
Know your resources and ask for help! While I am the only resident on night float there are nocturnist hospitalists in-house and my faculty, who are always just a phone call away! Knowing your limits and asking for help is an important part of independence and growth.
When you get overwhelmed, pause and take a deep breath. Run your lists and prioritize tasks and take one thing at a time!
Make sure to call or talk to someone outside of work to feel connected to the world! Isolation can be the worst part of this rotation and an important part to be proactive in combating.
Bring a book, or craft, or watch some tv if you have some downtime.
Being nervous is normal, lean on your resources whether that be the nocturnists, faculty, or your co-residents, and trust the process!
