Preparing for night duty: a short checklist for new interns
Your first nights on call can feel overwhelming. This note covers the practical side only: how to be organised so that you can think clearly when something happens. It is not clinical advice.
Know your handover
Before the senior leaves, ask which patients are sick, which are unstable and what has already been decided. Write these down in one place. A short, clear list beats trying to remember everything.
Know who to call and how
Make sure you have the numbers of your senior, the ICU, the lab and the blood bank, and that you know your hospital's escalation route. Asking early for help is a strength, not a weakness.
Keep your own tools ready
Carry a pen, a notebook, a torch, your stethoscope and your hospital protocols. Keep a quick-reference you trust on your phone or in your pocket, and check it against your local guidelines.
Look after yourself
Eat before the shift, drink water and take short breaks when the ward allows. Tired people make more errors, so rest when you can and tell your senior if you are struggling.
This is general advice for staying organised. Clinical decisions always depend on the patient, current guidance, your supervisors and local protocols.
General study advice only. This is not medical advice and does not replace guidelines, supervision or local protocols.