Night-Shift Benefits
If you are still not convinced that the nocturnist world is for you—though you will be able to spend more time and have a more meaningful relationship with patients, nursing staff, and be the hero to every consultant and PCP you allow to sleep through the night—then I must reveal that the real cherry on top is actually green. Since you are working the least desired shift in your HM group, you are somewhat of a rock star. No one wants you to be unhappy, because they really want you to keep working the night shift. It’s evident by the fact that most nocturnists are paid a 10% to 20% shift differential, according to Payscale.com. In layman’s terms, you get paid more money than everyone else.
Another benefit is that nocturnist shifts range from eight to 12 hours; some even allow you to take call from home, so you can find a position that fits your schedule. The average number of monthly shifts usually is fewer than those working the day shift (10 to 14 shifts compared with 14 to 18 shifts) on average.
Depending on what type of hospital you choose (rural or urban, community or academic), you can have a wide range of nightly responsibilities. Some nocturnists perform as many procedures as they like; others choose to perform no procedures. Patient caps might exist on the number of patients you can admit during a shift. And working as a nocturnist can afford you a terrific lifestyle, because there is an a la carte menu of hospitalist groups, shifts, and practice lifestyles to choose from. And everybody in HM knows that everyone is looking for a nocturnist, so the availability of job offers is never a problem.
Nevertheless, with more money and choices comes more responsibility. As a nocturnist, you have to be flexible and creative in order to stay informed, as you will find it challenging to make all the staff meetings. Ask your group to schedule important group meetings early, so that you can stay after your shift and attend. Sometimes you just have to dig in and stay for those later meetings, if need be. (Sleeping in the call room until your next shift makes you somewhat of a martyr.) And remind your medical director to email you any important information you might have missed.
Even though you won’t be around during the day, you must stay abreast of quality initiatives (CHF, AMI, etc.). Beware of charting requirements, which can change from day to day.
If you are looking for an exciting way of life, and the ability to practice pure medicine after residency, you might want to get “into the night” and consider an HM career as a nocturnist. TH
Dr. Cunningham has been a hospitalist since 2004 and a nocturnist the past three years at Hamilton Medical Center, a community hospital in Dalton, Ga., and locum tenens in the Tennessee area.