Why Me?

I awoke today only to find out that today I go to night shift. This means that I now go in at 8 pm to my CCU while my co-resident goes to days. I will be working from 8 pm to 8 am. While switching my biological clock at the drop of a hat is a routine familiar to me it is by no means an easy one. Some of the ways us physicians achieve this: (warning: Those who respect their private physicians please read no further)

1- Sleep very late the previous night or wake very early on the day you begin working at night. Hope you are very tired in the afternoon and you can maybe catch a nap.
2- If fatigue does not set in drink a beer. Drink two then three, whatever it takes!
3- If fatigue still does not set in then have sex with wife (possibly, anyone else)…hope this will knock you out. No wife or anyone else…you know what to do.
4- If you’re not yet counting sheep then go to work at eight pm, bloodshot eyes, tired, cranky, upset, pissed you chose this career path. Now you’re a real doctor.

Night CCU promises great adventures. No interns around, no fellows, no attendings, just me and my thoughts and my codes and my insecurities. Here we go.