Do nurses and doctors really work 24-hour shifts? How do they do it for so long without burning out?

I get tired after working my usual 8 and a half hour day. How do people in the medical professions work for so long without falling asleep or majorly slipping up?

Well, when I was doing my residency, I was on for 72 hours with only brief naps-usually no more then 1-2 hrs if I was lucky. I had to do 2 different residencies because I went for one area of study, then when I was done with that, did another. So I had almost 3 yrs of it. It was a long process. It sure does teach you a lot and you get used to working under pressure and under stress. You do get days off, but those are spent sleeping, or spending time with family. It the price we pay to do what we do. They are trying to get it changed so that you are off more and not so sleep deprived. They think that will make better doctors/Nurse practitioners/physician assistants in the long run.

Some residents will work 72 hours straight. They take naps in between. Most nurses only work 12 hours.

It's called, "the big bucks."

Nurses usually only work 12 hour shifts 3 days a week or so. Doctors I am not so sure. I don't think they work 24 hour shifts, they do work long hours but not that long.

My mother is a nurse and the longest I know of her working has been 16 hour shifts. It is tough, but rewarding work, and no the pay isnt all the great. Money is not the insentive there.

I used to do 36 hours straight when I worked in the emergency lab. Short naps, lots of coffee and checking everything I did twice.

It's not only doctors and nurses. I am a project manager who does upgrades to computer systems that frequently require me to be on site and managing it for 48 straight hours. I get through it by taking naps when a technician is doing something that doesn't require my direct supervision. I don't drink coffee because I want to crash (for about 12 hours) at the end of the 48 hours. Unlike hospitals we don't have spare beds, so I've learned to nap on the floor on a yoga mat.

Residents (which are technically MD but don't get big bucks yet) will work long shifts, many times they are the ones "on Call" and must come in for all the emergencies. Nurses work, in general, 12 hour shifts and most facilities have a cap that they can't work more than 16hrs in a 24hr period... and due to the shortage 16hr shifts are common. It is reported however, that sleep deprivation and safety of care starts to decline after 9.5hrs