"The only downside of practicing medicine faster than light is that you have to live in the darkness" ~Emergency medicine

As a natural born night owl who finally gave in to what my body wanted and switched over to a nightshift job at an assisted living facility: the cursing and freedom is accurate. Completely, 100%, ACCURATE. I got around people calling me at 2 in the evening by calling them at 2 in the morning. Works wonders for helping people to 'get' it. Edit: So happy to see all the responses and conversation! Yea, I do silence my phone now and only have emergency calls come through. Now, if only we could make the managers come in for a mandatory staff meeting at 2 in the morning, and absolutely demand that they 'look like they want to be there' and 'pay attention, stop yawning and take your job seriously'. 😑

I’ve worked the night shift for the past two years. At first I didn’t think it was that bad until we had a possible stroke patient and I asked “what day is it?” Neither the pt or myself knew the answer 😂

As an ER physician scribe that just got off a 12 hour night shift I completely agree with everything in this video. The redbull, the sleep, the admin, and the cursing🥹

"We don't even have clocks. There's only the night" is the most relatable statement

I'm a ED nocturnist. Everything in this video is true, from Monday to Decaday, 24/10...

Healthcare IT perspective - night shift ER folks were always the most difficult people to diagnose issues for, since they'd need to escalate to the desktop on-call to ever actually talk to us. Usually it came down to messages shot back and forth, once a day. While waiting for fixes to their issues, I swear they came up with the most ingenious and diabolical workarounds I ever encountered - stealing WOWs from units that only operated in the daylight and returning them before it was noticed (see 150 message long email thread "Why is rehab doing so many blood test labels"), account credential sharing... I once found a 100 foot network cable run up through the drop ceiling of one room into another to sidestep a broken wall port. To this day I have no idea where they got the cable. They are the most elusive, unhinged, determined, and high strung people in the hospital, and I have no qualms in saying I'd trust any one of them with my life. Also one time they called in asking if we knew how to fix their coffee machine.

Not in the medical field, but as a former night shifter in a factory, this is 100% accurate for night shifts everywhere. 😂😂

I’m a 4th year (out of 6) med student and I volunteer in my teaching hospital’s ED after lectures when it’s on duty and that “hi-“ “yeah yeah just start doing stuff” really hit the nail on the head, not even 5 full seconds into the video

Worked as a bedside RN for 41 years, full time nightshift. Absolutely true about the lack of any kind of hospital administration breathing down your back. Never saw them, couldn't identify them in a line-up. The night shift camaraderie and flying under the administrative radar were the best. And it's so true -- you knew the shift was ending only when you saw the sun beginning to dawn.

As a doctor, I think there's no way he'll come up with another relatable sketch but then he always does! Great content as always

Working night shift to avoid administration is the most accurate statement I have ever heard. I worked dayshift once and there were way too many “managers” and “supervisors” for me. Plus most night shift in general is just trying to survive the night and keep the hospital alive so we get saved from doing a lot of administrative task our dayshift and even our evening shift colleagues have to do. Might be shortening my life but I’ll take 7on/7off night shift of any other shift.

There is something wholesome and just right about the Charge Nurse saying we curse a lot.

Haha perfect! Recovering ER doc here - worked in a very rural ER - loved nights. It was just me, an RN, an LPN, and the elderly maintenance guy who did triple duty as security and one on one monitor for the psych patients. Best of all, no suits

Love the 'rampant use of point of care ultrasound'

I would watch a full series of that, tbh. "Welcome to the night shift", like, a funnier and darker version of "Scrubs", all played by the same person.

When I was a kid my med tech mom worked the 11 to 7 shift at night and then slept while we were at school. Much later in life she said it was the only thing that kept her from strangling the guy who was in charge of the lab. She got called in whenever they had a baby who needed blood because she was the most universal donor in the city, too, day or night, and one time I went with her and learned three new words from the night nurses! 😂

As a former night shifter in ED, god bless I could feel the siren song of night shift rise in blood. Admin will never find me again.

The Night Shift is an alternate world, a twilight zone, where the unreal becomes reality.

As a professor, I can sympathize with the point about no administrators. I think I'll start teaching night and weekend classes.

My sister worked trauma unit for a hospital in a major US city. Her schedule was Friday night to Monday morning, two doubles and a single, for the entirety of her daughter’s primary and secondary education. She brought home the best stories to tell us over our cheerios. My niece and I went to school with all the best gross-out stories. Mary would have gotten along well with your night shift crew.

As an ER physician headed in to work the night shift on Thanksgiving I can 100% relate.

There is nothing i fear more than the charg nurse Especially the one with the 25 years of experience

This is incredibly accurate. Everyone I work with in the ED swears like a sailor and it is glorious. Nightshift in particular is the most guilty of it.

Certified night owl and did 17 years of full time nights-mostly rural ED and M/S. LOVED IT! This is spot on! Only stopped little over a year ago cuz it started tanking my physical and mental health. Still occasionally work til midnight and take call at night, and doing flight nursing-sometimes fly all night. Night shifters are the best people-everywhere! Special breed of medical professionals!❤ And I still don’t know what day it is…

The bit about no admin being present is SOOOO true. If I've learned anything from working night shift, it's that I would literally rather die than deal with unnecessary bureaucracy.

And this is why as EMS i love bringing pt's in in the middle of night... its always so entertaining lol. Not to mention i swear the best staff is always on nights at the ER

Worked overnight as a social worker for the crisis team! The lack of administration was the most freeing experience of my life! I miss it so much! I now work normalish day time hours and am the unit director and dear lord - hospital politics is more annoying than any patient - to the point a double saturday is refreshing!

I worked nightshift in a small rural hospital for almost 40yrs and I can attest to the no time comment! Some nights go by fast and some super slow. I like the freedom from all the ancillary departments and visitors and administration. Plus no rounding doctors only the Hospitalist occasionally. The only drawback was that there was no one to ask advice from esp in my early years before the internet became a world of information. The staff was way laid back and I was the authority figure as the House Supervisor. I also was the dietitian, maintenance, pharmacist, PR, and main gopher! When I got home after a 12hr shift I'd say that I couldn't make another decision. I'm now retired and loving that I'm only responsible for me, myself, and I! No more decisions and I can eat healthy now! And time is now relative! Einstein was right, there is relativity in time and time well spent!

I just got home from a night drinking with my ER buddies sharing stories and unloading and decompressing. This video could not hit closer to home. Here to all the crazy lovely creatures of the night who make the night shifts bearable. Let us practice medicine freely as it was meant to be! Here’s to liberal use of point of care ultrasound! 🥃

my shipboard medical teacher is a Emergency Medicine Attending, she works nights, she works on ships, she flies to other cities to work nights at other ERs when it's too boring here. she said "I know I'm checking out early, every 5 years you work nights, a sixth year gets taken off your bill" badass woman.

Night shift paramedic for 30 years, this is the most accurate portrayal of how we feel about night shift I've ever heard!

As a night shift Emergency doctor....it is 100% accurate....especially the admin thing.....love from Pakistan 🇵🇰

“There is only the night.” This nurse needs this in a shirt better yet a pin so I can wear it on shift.

As a Night Charge Nurse I approve this message

Prior to PA school I worked nights as an ED scribe at a level 1 trauma center and I LOVED it. It wasn’t until my EM rotation that I realized how much I loved and missed ED night shifts. There’s something endearing about a night shift shit show, it’s 100% a shit show but it was OUR shit show. Much love to my fellow night shifters everywhere ❤️

It was great seeing Peds in the mix ! Hopefully we will see them again soon !

I've worked the night shift too! After a while we began to think we were vampires because we never got out in the sun! You go to work in darkness and when you leave, the blackness is still there. You automatically turn on your headlights when you get in your car, it's become your routine. People on day shifts don't understand why we don't sleep when we get home. On day shift you spend several hours with normal activities after work, dinner, TV time, getting the kids to bed and much more. So if you go from day shift to a night shift, you still spend hours doing things before you go to bed. Since there are few stores open when you leave work, you're left with convenience stores for buying food and your diet suffers even more. I was lucky when I worked the night shift because regular stores were open 24 hours! I often shopped after midnight which I love because no one else is in the store! It's really bad when you call a friend at 2:00 AM and wake them from their sleep. Just because you're up in the middle of the night, you expect them to be up too. After a while you have no friends left unless they're on the night shift too. I really loved working the night shift, there's a comradery with coworkers that can't be beat! You're friends for life but you don't recognize them in the daylight since you've never seen them without darkness surrounding them!😘

You almost had me, until you said "we can admit the patients that need to be admitted." Very funny. Our patients have been boarding in the ED since November 2019.

As a man doing nightshift related work for almost an entire decade. My sentences usually go. "It was either a week ago, or a few months ago."

I'm a social worker and worked evening/nights for years and this is 1000% accurate. I switched to education and I work in a therapeutic/behavior disorder program and it's a similar dynamic- admin won't touch us and we're basically completely on our own working under conditions that would leave most educators running. Wouldn't change a thing.

I'm an overnight hospital courier, mainly handling lab specimens but also do the occasional delivery to the smaller rural hospital ED's from the main hospital pharmacy. Night shift staffers are the absolute coolest smartest people around. When they get a bit snarky with me, if I can give it (a *slightly* gentler version anyway) right back, they consider it a sign of respect.

I worked night shift for 9 years when I was a respiratory therapist, and this is spot on. The charge nurse, especially. I actually enjoyed covering the ED. The coffee was always fresh, and the humor was always dark and inappropriate.

F-Bomb to the 5th power! SO true! Worked 5 years as night pharmacist before going to med school. NO administrators EVER. BEST pot lucks, though! And I have great stories, as you do.

As an RN that has worked nights for most of my 36 year career.... Yep!! Totally agree!!! And I wouldn't work any other shift. Night turn workers are a breed all their own and the vast majority are awesome folks!!!

On thusThanksgiving (and every day), I'm thankful for Dr. Glaucomflecken. Thank you sir for all the laughs.

Erratic sleep, poor diet and psychologic stress are so relatable that it actually hurts being called out like this.

I remember night shifts in North Central Bronx ER. There were no attendings in sight and as residents we could do pretty much what we wanted! Residents were in charge of admissions as well. We called it "Midnight Clinic". Yes it was pure medicine and no admin!

Trauma Surgery! I'd trust the "do it the way it was meant to be done" crew over any other admin-limited departments any day of the week, even on Boundsdays!

As a med student who done several night shifts in the ER, I actually liked it more than the day.

My first hospital job included a 16 hr weekend shift as an X-ray tech. I always got placed in the ED. I found out it was because I still had energy and a soul that could function off minimal sleep 🥴 Well that and I freaking loved helping out when a trauma came in. The ED crew was amazing and I learned so many extra skill sets dues to being constantly short-staffed.

Not a doctor but when I was young, I worked in restaurants. Working graveyard shift was especially discombobulating. All the things he said are true for night shift workers everywhere. Being a single parent made it even crazier. So, now I’m a teacher. Lots of stress but at least my circadian rhythm has the opportunity to do its job.

Days or nights are fine, it’s the rotating shifts that get me. Working Sat/Sun nights and Tues day was about the death of me. It’s weird when you’re so tired you can feel your blood…

Worked NOCs for years as an RN until my immune system overpowered me and my kidneys. This is 1000% accurate. Thankfully the computer and computerized charting meant that it kept track of what day it was, otherwise the answer was just "Yes." And to this day I still swear more than my former-sailor husband.

Nightshift is the right shift, even if all the weird and crazy things happen at night.

As an EVS worker in hospitals. I worked nights for most of my working life. I miss the hell out of the night shift. I work in the evening now. Only because my position changed. I loved the night shift. Way less people and people in charge running around. And you are your own boss. Yes my life is shorter because of it. 😝. I would go back to nights in a second if asked. Thank you for the laughs this thanksgiving day. Happy Thanksgiving to yall family and friends.

Painfully accurate, especially the end. I loved working ED nights (and Peds HM nights) because it was just residents, a few very focused attendings, and a very relaxed atmosphere around anything that *wasn't* related to pt care.

As a doc who works nights, I feel this

God bless you night shift, you're all doing the Lord's work.

As a nightshift worker, I felt every single one of these points hit home in uncomfortable ways, so thanks for that. My favorite part about trying to sleep during the day is the second I get some sunlight in my eyeballs my whole body goes, "OH? IS IT TIME TO BE AWAKE? YOU WANT TO BE AWAKE NOW RIGHT?" So winter is the only real restful sleep time for me.

"Just start doing stuff" is so true. I work night shifts in an animal hospital and most of the night I'm on my own there. So when I had an internship somewhere else I had to relearn that sometimes you can just ask for help and don't need to figure everything out by yourself😅

I used to be a nurse and night shifts were by far the best shifts! No management, no visitors, most my patients were asleep and I didn’t need to talk much. Most of the nights are not busy as well.

As a cop on night shift, I feel the sleep habits. "You'll adapt" they told me. There is no adapting. There is merely surviving. And yes, the only chance I get to sleep is the only time I'm wide awake. 3-4 hours of sleep a day is average. Not from a lack of trying.

Watching this while doing a night shift at the ER, salute to all my colleagues keeping our health care systems running through the late nights and early mornings!

Used to work the ED night shifts. The bit about not knowing what day of the week is it is SPOT ON. "So glad it is Friday...dude, it's Tuesday." 😢😢😢

This is why in a different industry I used to choose a schedule that started hours before the sun came up. Any management who would normally be watching for things to hold over our heads was still asleep for the majority of our shifts. It was peaceful, plus the sunrises were a nice thing to always see, and never while we were driving.

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH VOICEOVER: This creature has adapted to the crushing pressure and oppressive darkness.

As a night shift L&D nurse agree 100%!! No one bothers you and we can be thinking nurses!!!!

When I was in medic school I was doing a night shift ER rotation, it was super busy and this drunk lady came in with a 6" head lac. The doctor told me to shave her hair on either side of the lac then come find him. He grabbed the staple gun, put in a couple staples and handed it to me saying "you want to finish up?" before walking off. Love it.

This has me burst it laughing several times 😂 I'm an RT and just had a crazy night, coming in for a 16 hours shift and two twelves in a row this week end. NIGHT SHIFT! NIGHT SHIFT! NIGHT SHIFT!

You totally nailed night shift. Many have tried to transfer to days, many have failed. Lost is the mouth filter, ability to deal with patient family, support services, and mostly admin. CEO’s come and go and their name is unknown to night shift.

Ironically the best shift I ever worked in my life was when I was a nurses aid that tended to work 2-10pm and sometimes 2pm-6am shifts. I would work my shift(s) and then go home and sleep around 4-6am and wake up around noon-1pm and be at work the next day by 2pm. Best I ever felt in my life, except for the few days they had me come in at 6am...I hated those days. Some of us are just hardwired for nights lol.

Worked 10 years on night shift as an L&D nurse 30 years ago. I still haven't caught up on my sleep. 😂

As a surgical tech at a level 1 who does night shift, the trauma surgeons are either as depicted in the video or exactly like the video just a little more chill 😂

As a previous ED nurse- you had me at “no hospital administrators”!

Night shift is the best. Always love the high pitch sound of bats compared to birds chirping.

This is my 21st year as a server, and I've met so many doctors/ nurses/ police especially on the 3rd shift. Amazing people.

I just love Charge Nurse! Ours was called Jean, Jean, the Mean Machine. She could bust up a New Year's Eve crowd in Times Square! Great video!

Old former ER trauma nurse this was perfect it’s like being on roller-skates with your hair on fire!

This Thanksgiving, I am so very grateful I no longer work nights. I could feel the cancer growing in my bones every night about 4 a.m.

I’m not a medical doctor, but as a former academic scientist, the explanation as to why the Night Shift doctors love sich a terrible job is very similar to why so many scientists love academia despite the absolutely awful pay, hours and conditions.

As a psych resident I’d love for there to be an inpatient psych character, very similar to the one already shown but much more grizzled, has shady connections/knows how to defend himself, unfazed by anything, and can look at you for a second, then know just how to cut you down so he can work on building you back up.

This is super accurate, especially in rural medicine. Im just finishing a month of rural nights...and I love it.

I remember when I was friends with a night shift nurse, I was amazed how she wasn't 100% nocturnal. I don't know how you people handle that messed up sleep cycle, but keep up the good work!

You, Doctor, are the Hero we NEED, not the hero we deserve. You are the Night. You are... Doctor 🦇

Also not in the medical field but yet another night worker going yeah, yeah, lots of swearing, no oversight, that's the good stuff. Also I love just how expressive your face is-- it always is, but it really really makes this one!

I knew that was going to be Peds emergency medicine even without the introduction. The unicorn helmet was perfect!

I laughed out loud at the rampant use of POCUS 😂😂😂 I do that all the time

On point! 6 years of Night Shift as a nurse… the idea of days was terrifying to me.

As a nurse who just came off years of nights, to return to the light, I'm hating it. Starting to think the shorter lifespan was worth it lol

Long ago ( back in the day ‘80’s…of paper charts) I worked the night shift in medical records and worked relief on the switchboard as needed in a teaching hospital. I loved night shift, the best people, always busy, the nights flew by…when the interns first came everyone could read their orders and signatures in the charts, a month later ( at the most) everything was illegible to most…but being a chart analyst one got used to the scribble and the devolving signatures. ER was just like portrayed here…no Red Bull in those days but coffee could remove paint/strip furniture it was so strong! Another hilarious one and at the same time spot on!🤪

Reminds of the time i worked as a Paramedic solo responder in London. Driving the streets where there was only the night 😊

I used to work graveyard shift in the laboratory at a large, busy hospital and I loved it. There is a sense of camaraderie that happens on that shift that doesn't happen with the others. However, it did mess up my sleep cycles.

As a fellow night shifter, I can confirm that one of the best parts of working the night shift is lack of supervision. As long as you get the job done, little else matters.

Now I want a whole series with this characters

When I was a PA student doing my ER rotation, they allowed me to work whatever shift I wanted. I exclusively worked nights and usually weekends. Doctors and nurses on that shift were always awesome. They'd let me learn any procedure and I was the only student. Even though it was my first rotation, the docs would let me see the lowest acuity alone first and get their workup started when they'd get super busy. For a young student, it was my first real taste of practicing medicine. I'll always have a soft spot for my ED nightshift coworkers. But man is it a rough life

Just finishing up with my week of night shifts covering all internal medecine floors of the hospital (intern year life). I am a tiny bundle of cortisol and this is too real ❤

I work in vet med and did 3 years overnight in ER. It was hell but we practiced how we wanted, turned hard rules to rubber bands and cursed like sailors. It does kill you though. I can't do night work to my body anymore but this is so wildly accurate.

Waking up for my night shift to watch this video was pretty golden.

I'm a lab assistant who works in the basement laboratory of a hospital, and this is true for us, too! No administrators dare to come on the night shift, it's beautiful. We can swear as much as we want, talk about whatever we want... We may die young because our sleep schedules are crazy but at least we lived. EDIT: Forgot to add that the charge nurse is super accurate. I love our charge nurses, such a treat to call critical values to.