Working on the Holidays

[dobonedoc]

This Sucks Big.

24 Hour in-house call today (Thanksgiving).

Anyone else feeling the pain?

Happy Holidays, and enjoy the institutional turkey and nasty potatoes and gravy.

Cheers-

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Foxxy Cleopatra]

Yeah, I'm here all day and night, too. Somehow, even with social workers and case managers off for the holiday, the amount of scut is the same. Go figure.

At least the nurses invited me for thanksgiving dinner in the lounge- that was pretty good. Nice of them to include me in.

 

[DrDre']

I know it sucks working on the holidays but imagine what it's like to be hospitalized!

Before I get flamed, I worked 4 Thanksgivings in a row, recently (24 hour shifts), not to mention several Xmas. I do know how you feel. I always tried to make myself feel better but putting extra energy into making the patients days better somehow...

Hope your shifts are mellow!

 

[gwen]

ok, tell me if this is legal per ACGME guidelines:

i'm working 16 days non-stop (with q3-4 calls and TWO saturdays IN A ROW) without a single day off in december for those 16 days. i'm working christmas eve/day b/c i get to have new year's off, oooh, lucky me. however, i'm on call on dec 30th which means i'll be rounding on new year's eve as well (part of my holiday). so i'm a little grumpy as you can see. should i be complaining or is this considered part of difficult holiday hours? i hate to complain so i'm asking before i possibly pester my chief.

btw, i've also worked every holiday starting with the 4th of july up through yesterday, Thanksgiving.

happy, happy holidays...thank goodness i like the place i work at and the people i work with. i can't imagine how it would feel otherwise!

 

[gwen]

totally agree with you dr. dre. i was bummed about having to take call on my birthday...and just when i was doing an admission for a pt with syncope, i realized we shared the same b'day. so i felt horrible for feeling grumpy earlier in the day...at least i was able to work. we ended up sharing a cake that his family brought in...so it worked out nicely!

Originally posted by DrDre'
I know it sucks working on the holidays but imagine what it's like to be hospitalized!

 

[DrDre']

Sorry to hear how much you're working! If you'd like, you could take my pharm test coming up- I'd be very happy to do ALL your scut!

I hope you get some relief in December. Take care,

 

[jazz]

gwen,

i got a shi**y schedule as well. complained. got me no where. i think you're only treated worse if you're an illegal, undocumented worker with no way to complain.

 

[Yosh]

I was on call Weds(night before Thanksgiving) until Turkey Day...and I am on call again tonight(Friday into Saturday)...so there goes my big 4 day weekend too...

Ob/Gyn is quite demanding....but it is over in one week....

THANK GOD!!!!!

Might as well suck it up.....cause we GOT NO CHOICE

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,

I covered the Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Intensive Care Unit on Thanksgiving and overnight. It was OK because the nurses were very nice and invited me to share in their Thanksgiving food. I missed the "pressed" turkey of the official hospital Thanksgiving feast.

I am a surgeon. I work weekends, all night and holidays. I always accepted this fact as part of the job and I swing with it. My family is so used to me being away that they would faint if I showed up for any family gatherings. My Mum is so proud of me being a surgeon that she really has come to accept that I am going to be the one that joins everyone by phone. Besides, I get the best goodies when I go home after the holidays.

I always volunteer to work on Christmas because I am single and I don't really mind being in the hospital. Most of the time, I get a great case and really have an opportunity to make a difference. The nurses all share their goodies and we all end up with "food coma" by 3AM. Most of the patients are discharged so the ones that are there are the ones that really need your attention.

The biggest downer was the patients who either died on Thanksgiving or around Thanksgiving. Their families will always associate the holiday with their loved one's death. I did not especially enjoy that aspect of my holiday duties but that's part of the job too.

njbmd

 

[Yosh]

Just wanted to say thanks for the post. Its nice to get a positive perspective for once...and refreshing to see happy people.
I am going home this Sat...after my ob/gyn rotation ends...and also volunteered to take call all around Thanksgiving...so that the other med students could be home with their families.

Best of luck with surgery...as I might find myself applying into the same field...the glimpse of the future through you was oddly as I expected....

Happy Holidays to All!!!