No break room on night shift...

[theatredork]

Does anyone else have a problem with a common break room being used for sleeping quartersn by staff during the night?

We have this huge break room where staff can go to get away from patient care areas for their break, but on night shift it's monopolized by staff taking a sleep break during the night.

I've mentioned this to management a couple of times, but I don't know what else to do. I get frustrated because there isn't anyplace I can really go to get away from everything.

I really don't care that people take sleep breaks, but don't take up a room meant for everyone.

How would you approach this situation?

[pfongk]

Where I am the staff are allowed to sleep if they are on their 1/2 hour meal break. This MUST be taken if you're entitled to it as you're not paid for it.

[theatredork]

People used to sleep on my old unit... Drove me CRAZY!!! Then they would come into the break room where I was eating and reading or watching bad TV and get all short with me because I wasn't sleeping! Hello! We are at a hospital, shouldn't you stay alert for an emergency? And the ones who would take all the clean warmed linens and then put them back! Ew! But management never did a thing... This is one of the MANY reasons I USED to work on that unit... (Sorry for the rant, hot button issue for me!)

I usually go to walk into the break room with my food or book, only to find it dark and someone sleeping in the corner. It's extremely frustrating.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

It was the same when i was on nites - some staff used ther 1/2 dinner break for sleep. Fortunately, we had a breakroom and alocker room on that unit and most would either sleep in the locker room or sleep in the patient lounge (room converted that was always empth in the middle of the night)I don't know that it was necessarily ok to do - but no one ever said anything and the bottom line is that, as pfongk said - they're not paid for that time.

I only ever tried sleeping once - working the overnite when daylight saving time ended so that shift gets the extra hour - and after my 1/2 hour catnap i felt terrible and never tried it again.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

We also have a CNA who works days who sleeps for her entire lunch break every day. Wrapped in a blanket on the couch. But she doesn't expect people to be quiet or to give her any special consideration. And we don't. She was in there yesterday when I went for my lunch and was still in there when I was done. (That's a bit of a problem...) I already know, from looking at the assignment sheet, that there will be many sleeping beauties in that room tonight when I go for my breaks. Guess I better pack my iPod.

[THAT Nurse., MSN, RN, APRN]

I would ignore them, and do as I wished. While sleepers do not bother me if they carry their load, I will not skip my break just because they want to nap. If they get short, I will get shorter.

[futurenicunurse2008]

i cant imagine sleeping on my break thats crazy.It would make me feel worse

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Interestingly enough, my copy of Critical Care Nurse (AACN) arrived today and the editorial is about sleeping on the job. The title is Napping on the Night Shift: Slacker or Savior? The slant of the article is that people should be permitted to nap on their breaks and the employer should facilitate it.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

while i disagree with the whole idea of people sleeping on the job, if it's allowed, it's allowed. what i have a problem with is the idea that other people shouldn't use the common breakroom because someone is sleeping in there. i'm afraid i'd have to walk in, get my lunch out of the refrigerator and turn on the light so i could read. if the sleepers have a problem with that, it's just that: their problem! as i understand it, the break room is for everyone's use.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

You're so right Ruby! I guess I'm just too confrontation-phobic to do much when I'm confronted by the sleeping beauties...