With my crazy call schedule, I've actually gotten really good at staying awake. I was actually just on call last night, and only had 3 hours of sleep the entire night, after a busy day, then a 6 hour emergency surgery in the evening, and a couple procedures, I had about 3 hours before I had to come back for rounds. I try not to drink coffee past 2 or 3 am when I'm on call, because then I won't get any sleep when I get home. But, I do try to stay plenty hydrated, and drink lots of water. Also, a full bladder, while uncomfortable, and not the smartest idea, will definitely keep you awake. I also chew gum, not sure why, but I guess the combination of fresh breath and chewing keeps me awake. Right now, I'm in the SICU, most of the patients are very much out of it, so they're not going to care if I chew gum when I see them. If all else fails, I will actually pull my hair up into a very tight ponytail, so if I start to nod off, my hair will pull me awake.
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