# What's the graveyard shift called in hospitals?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-graveyard-shift-called-in-hospitals/543844>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 20, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-graveyard-shift-called-in-hospitals/543844 "2010-06-20T04:50:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-graveyard-shift-called-in-hospitals/543844/41 "2010-06-23T23:43:22Z")

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I have certainly heard of the term graveyard shift. Although I have often worked nights I have never been anywhere that the term is actually used. My department has 3 patrol shifts. They are called ‘days’, ‘afternoons’ and ‘midnights’. Even though afternoons go to 2am and midnights start at 830.

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**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-graveyard-shift-called-in-hospitals/543844/42 "2010-06-24T04:13:53Z")

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> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> I don’t know where everyone lives, but I do see that someone from NE Ohio and someone from New Jersey mentioned ‘lobster shift’. I’d never heard the term before this thread. Maybe it’s some sort of Back East thing?

Always lived west of the Mississippi, and I’ve never heard of “lobster shift.”

> [@SmithCommaJohn](#):
>
> Except the ice cream shift.
> 
> It’s a little-known perk of being an undertaker.

I don’t EVEN want to know. :eek:

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-graveyard-shift-called-in-hospitals/543844/43 "2010-06-24T04:17:17Z")

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> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> I don’t EVEN want to know. :eek:

On a hot day, an undertaker can have a cool one.

After a rough day, he can have a stiff one.

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