General
thousand-yard stare
What does thousand-yard stare mean?
A blank, distant stare seen in profoundly fatigued staff or traumatised patients; borrowed from military usage into hospital speech.
"Post-nights, the whole team had the thousand-yard stare."
Origin
Military term for combat stress; adopted in medicine.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 'thousand-yard stare'?
It's a blank, distant gaze seen in profoundly fatigued staff or traumatised patients.
Where does the phrase come from?
It's a military term for combat stress that has been adopted into medical speech.
When do medics use it?
Often after a run of night shifts or an exhausting, traumatic stretch of work.
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