Healthcare workers know that their job never ends. Patients donโt stop coming to the hospital because it is a weekend, holiday or late at night. Therefore, we provide 24-hour coverage and support in order to take care of our patients โ because that is what we do! We are super-humans who save lives! But at what cost? At some point in your career you have likely had to take on night shift and that means that you have to fight your own circadian rhythm in order to stay awake! How messed up is that?!? This is my personal survival guide (with help from my nurses) for surviving the vampire shifts! I will start this list of with more serious topics to take note of. Then, in true night shift fashion, we will take a 90 degree turn and jump off the deep end with some fun suggestions from those who have made a few life mistakes previously!
Melissa Cody, ARNP
Melissa has been practicing as an Acute Care NP since 2010 after graduating from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. She has extensive experience in cardiothoracic surgery, advanced heart failure management and general ICU patient management. She is currently practicing as an ICU nocturnist and is the Coordinator of the Critical Care Advanced Practitioner Program. In her spare time, she enjoys competing in Triathlons and spending time with her family.