The post-it reads “nothing makes me madder than being reminded/texted at/informed by carrier pigeon 4 hours before the start of my call shift that the OR is a mess and “Don’t hold your breath to stay home tonight.” I never plan to stay home on any night except for Friday and Saturday nights, which are my nights off.”
It is statements like that that make me realize that call is more misunderstood than I thought. And also how I was able to take other people’s call to the tune of paying off my BSN student loans.
The big secret about call is to never expect not to be called in.
The universe loves a sucker.
There should be no expectations.
At all.
None.
Being on call means that if there is a surgical case out there, you’re gonna get called in.
There is nothing magical about it.
However, going back to the meat of the reminder I got that day, four hours before my shift started.
I KNOW!
I NEVER THINK I AM GOING TO BE AT HOME ON CALL!
If I am at home on call, that is a lucky night.
I know I am more sangfroid about being on call than 98% of the nurses that I see online whining about call,
That’s okay.
I like call.
I’ve always liked call.
If they let me I would probably take call on my nights off.
But they don’t.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 