This course prepares doctors, nurses and midwives to work safely through on-call and night shifts. It covers how to prioritise competing tasks, when and how to escalate a deteriorating patient, how to hand over clearly, and how to manage fatigue before, during and after a run of nights.
What you will learn
- Prepare practically for a night or on-call shift, including handover, task lists and personal planning.
- Prioritise competing clinical tasks using a structured approach based on clinical urgency and NEWS2.
- Escalate a deteriorating patient clearly using SBAR, and know what to do when the response is not adequate.
- Give and receive a safe handover at the start and end of a night shift.
- Recognise the effects of fatigue on performance and use practical strategies to reduce risk to patients and to yourself.
Course content
- Why nights and on-call are different (2 min)
- Preparing for the shift (2 min)
- Prioritising competing tasks (4 min)
- Escalation: getting the right help (4 min)
- Case study: a busy night on the wards (3 min)
- Handover at the start and end of nights (1 min)
- Fatigue and looking after yourself (2 min)
- Knowledge check (10 questions, 10 min)
- Guided reflection (15 min)
Standards and guidance covered
- GMC: Good Medical Practice (2024), including the duties to recognise and work within the limits of your competence, to seek help, and to look after your own health
- NMC: The Code (2015, updated 2018), including the sections on preserving safety, escalating concerns, communicating clearly and working within the limits of your competence
- Royal College of Physicians: National Early Warning Score (NEWS) 2 (2017)
- NICE NG253: Suspected sepsis in people aged 16 or over: recognition, assessment and early management
- Resuscitation Council UK: Resuscitation Guidelines (current edition)
Certificate
Courses are free to study. When you pass the knowledge check (80%) and complete your reflection, you can buy a verified certificate showing your CPD time, with a unique ID and QR code that anyone can check on our verification page.
Study free at your own pace on any device.
Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.