Dear YLF,
Here's what my outfit and make up look after 26 hours of continuous duty! I went with fun and easy to wear comfortable floral dress and a very bright and cheerful cardigan! And of course how can you see no to metallic flats?
Boo-hoo! My Purple tights have a run in them. Lol @ pic #3.
Oh well! Four more hours to go!
Cheerfully yours,
Lyn
ETA: I've had 4 XL steeped teas and one chai latte!!! WHEEEEEEE!!!!
Deborah replied 11 years ago
Lyn you look remarkably fresh for 26 hours and a lot better than I fare some days after only 8 lol. Do you sleep at all during that time? I can't imagine sleep deprived doctors are a good thing:)
Krista replied 11 years ago
You look great at hour 26! I love the floral dress and bright cardigan with those purple tights. Wheeeeeeee is right! I hope you get lots of time to rest after this shift :)
lyn* replied 11 years ago
Sure we sleep: I've had a 15 min nap today and the other junior had had about one hour of sleep. We sometimes hide and sleep for ten minutes or so ... Lol!
One of the patients today was shocked to find out we work so long without coffee breaks or food breaks (I've gone 26 hours without a break once, but I am better at sneaking off now!)
It really is a rite of passage and used to show how tough you are. It sucks, but this hospital is already a ton better. The last one I was at we regularly worked 36 hours or so in a row.
We get no overtime. I get paid about $180 for my shift tonight (in addition to my base salary covering Monday to Friday).
Crazy, eh?
Deborah replied 11 years ago
Lyn you are one of life's unsung heroes. I am in awe of your commitment not to mention your stamina.
lyn* replied 11 years ago
Nah, Deborah, all of the docs have to do it. The surgeons are worse off. Some of them are pressured to work 72 hours. I cannot imagine how they have steady hands after all that time!
As for the stamina, the adrenaline helps, especially if you are looking after very sick patients. The time really flies by!
Atlantia replied 11 years ago
You look so snappy! I imagine if you work lots of shifts like these that bright colors help keep you in the right frame of mind.
Raisin replied 11 years ago
I have similar pair of flats and I love them! They go with everything, and make things look just a bit more special. I love the tights and dress combo, it looks so pretty.
That worries me that surgeons are working 72 hours. I remember being at the emerg with my son when he was a couple weeks and a surgeon was there working, and I went back the next day, like 36 hours later and he was still working, and I thought that was crazy! But 72 hours is nuts! I don't think I'd let someone operate on me if they'd been up 72 hours.
I feel bad for you about the crazy shifts though. Done a few myself, though scheduled shifts for us don't last near as long. Thankfully my job is much more "normal" in terms of hours now.
Anyway, you look great!
Suz replied 11 years ago
Lyn, you look amazingly fresh considering the situation!!! Yay for metallic flats...and chai latte!
rute replied 11 years ago
You look lovely! Good work!
Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago
You look gorgeous and I love your cheery colours and metallic flats! Hope you have a good sleep post call!
Parsley replied 11 years ago
Lyn, you look way better than should be expected toward the end of a call.
I'm surprised you don't wear scrubs on call. I always did- I never wanted to "waste" my good clothes on the hospital, get runs in my nice tights, etc. Do you wear a lab coat?
Funny about all the comments about the long shifts- I was just thinking that you have it a lot cushier than we used to when there was NO time limit on our post-call day.
cheryl replied 11 years ago
You are always adorable and I hope you get some good rest soon!
lyn* replied 11 years ago
@ RunnerRae - the official rules say after 26 hours you can no longer take place in any -new- patient interaction; so if you were asked to see a patient (or multiple patients) in hour 26, it could take you until hour 30 or 31 to see everyone; then you would spend a few hours doing paperwork for admissions, etc. :) A lot of coffeeeee! I wouldn't want a surgeon who had been up for so long doing surgery on me either - one of the patients flat out asked for someone else to see her after she asked me how many hours I'd been working; but I am the "freshest" one on the team! The senior fellows work much harder!
@ Parsley - I sort of am a rebel and I refuse to wear scrubs on call (unless I'm in the OR or Med Emergency Team or part of the code team or obstetrics) - I think it's miserable enough that I have to be up for so many hours that I don't have to look miserable doing it. I am also consistently cold in scrubs - and there are never XS ones left (or S ones); so I end up with M ones that make me look like a deflated linebacker in green. I look terrible in greens!
Ditto with the white coat - the long one is "okay" in XXS, and I only wear it when I am on a consult service or need to convince someone to do something my way :p The subliminal power of the Long White Coat!
The only place I can wear my nice clothes is the hospital - where am I ever anywhere else? NB: I am also a psychiatry resident, so my contact with eww-gross things is very minimal. :) I got sneezed on once, though.
N-Marie replied 11 years ago
I'm tired just reading this! I can't imagine doing paperwork after that much time awake- I'm pretty sure I would make a big mess of it. And sad about your tights - why can't they be more sturdy. Love the metallic flats, and your upbeat attitude!
JR replied 11 years ago
I have never, ever understood that aspect of hospital culture. It's insane, and probably bad for both doctors and patients.
But you are looking cute anyway, although obviously on a caffeine high. ;o)
You look remarkably terrific for having put in such a long day. I hope you are sleeping by now! I don't think I'd want to wear scrubs either because, like you said, what would you be saving your *real* clothes for, anyway?! I wore a plain black dress and sweater to a coffee/open house today and everyone said "Ooooo, you're so dressed up!" and I thought. Geez, this is an event to me! When else do I get out?