I have been on nights this week. The overnight shift is a whole new world and is different than working the days. You do not have all the back up staff and specialists available but you do have the basics like anesthesia and other needed staff. The cool part about nights is that I get to be more involved and play a more active role. I have come a long way on doing ultrasounds to check out the fetus. I can now do them completely on my own and actually make all the proper measurements and interpret the findings as well. I run my work by the chief resident to make sure everything is good and done properly. I also have become adept at doing pelvic exams to determine cervical status. It is really great to have the opportunity to learn all these things. I am fairly comfortable with most births at this point and how to do / manage the birth. I also can do the proper repairs if the mother tears.
Regardless of the specialty I go into, I think that this information and skill set will be handy to know. You can use these skills in the ER and in various situations as a doctor if needed. I enjoy the whole process. The families are usually happy and there is a good feeling in the air at the births. Occasionally it can be devastating if there are problems with the fetus but fortunately a lot of the births are healthy. It is a great feeling and pretty cool to be involved and part of the lives of these parents / families. They will take pictures with you and remember you as part of their process for a while at least.
My last shift is Saturday night / Sunday morning. There is something miraculous about birth no matter how many times I am involved in the process I find it amazing every time.
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