ABSTRACT
These tips may make things run a little more smoothly:
Check your rota closely – they are not always easy to follow!
Make sure you fully understand your on-call responsibilities before you start (i.e. which wards you are covering).
Make a note of important bleeps, extensions and door codes: a cheat sheet sometimes helps.
Ensure you have all the relevant passwords for your hospital’s computers to allow access to blood results, x-rays, etc.
Give yourself a test bleep when your shift begins – as appealing as a broken bleep may seem, you need to be contactable at all times.
Food and drink are a must! Bring some with you or make sure you know where and when food is available at your hospital.
Equipment: Some pieces of kit are vital; hunting for a tourniquet on an unfamiliar ward at 3 a.m. is no fun!
Locate your nearest blood gas analyser and know how to use it.
Familiarize yourself with your hospital’s crash trolley and defibrillator before your first on call: resuscitation officers are usually happy to help with this.
