The doctors check on patients in the morning to see how they are doing. Doctors call this “rounds.” Many doctors round with the whole healthcare team—the residents, the nurse, the pharmacist, etc. Depending on what else the doctor has to do that day, rounds can happen very early in the morning.
During rounds, doctors often decide on additional tests. These tests will be ordered in the morning and the patient will go to the tests at various points during the day. When the test happens is often beyond the control of the nurses and doctors. Patients who are sicker or whose tests were ordered earlier may get the test before you. If a patients test is abnormal, it may take longer for their test to be done, and this means you may have to wait longer before getting your test. Because of this, the doctors and nurses often cannot tell you when the test will happen. This is also frustrating—it makes it hard for you to plan your day.