I am working pm shift today. We have three shifts per day at casualty. Morning or AM shift starts at 0800 and finishes at 1530. Afternoon/evening or PM shift from 1530 to 2230 and night or ON shift from 2230 until 0800 next morning. But every weekdays' morning starts at 0730 with the handovers, and usually the morning people will start the shift at 0730 then.
In general , everyday we are entitled to work for at least one shift. There are days where we will be working double shift, which means we work in the AM and ON shift. And the next day, those who worked the night shift at the red or yellow zones MAY be entitled for a night off - meaning they don't have to go to work the next day, but those in green zone, still has to come for a PM shift the next day. This is how it works here.
Even if we have a night off, we will still be coming for CME (continuous medical education) presentations for our learning purposes on the night off day, and every weekdays, regardless of us in the PM shift, still has to come sharp at 0730 just for the handovers. I don't mind that seriously, as it forces me not to prolonged my sleep too much, like today (because it's a weekend, and hence no handovers). Plus, sometimes there are so much to learn at the handovers. The HOD (head of department) really likes to ask questions, and I think that is how I learn much. Even though most of the time, I was not even close to answering the questions.
I think I'd prefer the oncall system better, but maybe it won't work well in casualty because the patients are non-stop, and you will most likely be exhausted after the formal working hours. At least with double shifts, you get to go back for a while before continue with the night shift. But still, so tiring.
For those who had no idea how oncalls work in other departments, this is how it works - your working hours starts as usual from 8am to 5pm, but you come as early as 7am or earlier for your morning rounds. If you are not oncall, you go back after 5pm only if you finish your job that are not supposed to be burdened on the oncall people. Say you have too many jobs in the ward, you might only goback after 10pm. If you are oncall, then your oncall time starts at 5pm until 8am the next day. Then you continue working, until 5pm the next day, or later if too many tasks need to be done, as mentioned before.Let me give you the example of one of my tiring schedules with the oncall system. It was when I was in medical posting, at times where the total medical housemen was 17 and we have four main wards to cover, not to mention the clinic and other periphery wards, also the H1N1 breakout at time. I had a few EOD (every other day) calls that month. I came to work at 645am, carried on with the sleepless night with the oncall, then I only went back at 1030pm the next day after the all sorts of procedure done. Then next day I came back at 645am for the morning rounds, and was oncall again, only to be back around 10pm the next day.
Dear my beloved Damia me niece who always keep mentioning that all I do at home is sleeping, if only you could understand this, you won't blame me for coming home and sleep for sleeping is the best rest, after the long working hours with those sleepless nights. In medical. But please note that, not all days were like this anyway, especially in different posting.
Anyway, back to casualty. Only the 4th and above poster housemen are allowed to enter the department, so we won't get any new freshies here. The total of housemen in the department is reducing. Therefore, holidays are out of questions these days. Both my brothers' family are coming home for the upcoming eid (raya haji), and no holidays are allowed during the days they are back here. Now, these are the days I resent becoming a doctor.
I just pray that I will manage to apply a straight four days off I need in December, as I have already paid such a big amount for something I have long wish done. I give you a clue:
But I wonder if I had enough stamina for the much awaited event.
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