How night volunteers could transform health care during staff shortages

KevinMD January 4, 2025
Deepak Gupta, MD and Sarwan Kumar, MD

Inpatient caregiving companions, especially during nights, may hold significant value in enhancing patient recovery and expediting discharge. Hospital nights can be tumultuous not only for inpatients but also for their caregivers, whether professional or personal. This need persists despite humanity’s adaptation to varying chronotypes—lion, bear, wolf, and dolphin—which have enabled people to transcend their diurnal instincts for the collective good. Nevertheless, the challenges of nighttime caregiving remain profound.

A critical issue lies in how frequently inpatients are left alone at night. Personal caregivers often cannot stay due to logistical barriers imposed by health care facilities or the pressures of balancing work, family, and financial demands. These constraints make unpaid caregiving even more difficult, despite some states providing reimbursement for family...

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