[traumaRUs]

I had to come back to this thread and see if anyone would agree with me. It's not that I'm such a hardnose, but sleeping while at work shouldn't be tolerated.

Maybe too, I'm jealous that everyone gets breaks - a lot of times we don't!

My experience at the VA in Indianapolis was that no one slept, ever. This was a very busy MICCU and we didn't have time to sleep!

As to the military hospitals, well, there's something called a court martial which is quite a deterrent!!

Now, I work in the private sector, in a large urban ER in central Illinois. Sleeping at work, whether on break or not, wouldn't be tolerated!

Where do you guys work?

[Danielle4]

I work for a doctor's office which is an annex outside of a hospital, but the doctor I work for is chief of staff of the hospital.
no napping or sleeping we are too busy. I never get a break and hardly anyone does there. I work in research so we are always busy.

[grouchy]

I am astonished that so many people are actually able to take their official breaks at work, never mind take breaks long enough for naps. I used to work 3-11 on an oncology unit and had trouble finding enough time to cram down a few bites of dinner. I now work 7p-7a on a tele unit. This is not as crazy: I occasionally have nights where I can spend 30-60 minutes wasting time talking or surfing the internet. We are paid for a straight 12 hours, so we don't have an official dinner break, although we all do take a dinner break without a problem. I can't imagine napping, even if I had an hour. I couldn't relax like that during a shift! Even when I'm not busy, I usually am doing something like keeping an eye on a confused patient. I wouldn't feel comfortable making my coworkers watch my patients and their monitors that long. Anyway, it's usually too busy to be an issue.

[grouchy]

I guess my feelings on napping depend on the context: on the clock vs. off the clock, habitual vs. maybe an occasional nap for someone who is not feeling well, and, if it's on the clock, have you just done the basics, or have you really done every part of your job you could do, including helping coworkers who need it? We do have a nurse's aide who catnaps in the visitor's lounge at night. I don't mind this because 1) I know he works full-time at night and attends school during the day, 2) He is otherwise an excellent worker with a good attitude, and 3) If I need him, and I wake him up, he'll jump right up and help me. I don't think that this guy, economically, has alot of other options to get through school.

[VickyRN]

Definitely NOT!!! I work straight night shift in a level three CICU and categorically we do not nap on the job, neither would the thought of such even enter our minds as professional critical care nurses. This is called being asleep on our watch--very unprofessional and unethical and potentially LETHAL for the patient. I have worked in other institutions, and NEVER was this allowed nor even toyed with. In fact, in my state, the BON will take away your license for sleeping on the job!!! Even if other nurses are covering for your nap "break, " when you wake up you will be fuzzy, take awhile to get back in sync, not sharp and vigilant as we ever should be.

[RNKitty]

Do you realize that by the unit "being too busy" and the nurses not taking breaks it violates labor laws? I always insist on my break unless my pt is actively delivering the baby. I don't get paid for working through breaks, and it doesn't improve my work performance either! I don't sleep on the job either, but I believe your own time is exactly that - YOUR OWN. You should be able to go to the moon and back on your break without repercussion. Those that can take a 15 min. power nap - more power to you if that is what you need to do to be the best professional you can be!

[Whisper]

When on a day shift, either an early or a late, I don't always have time to get a break, no one is allowed to sleep in their half an hour breaks during the day, most of the time, it is just chance to eat and finish as mcuh paper work as is humanly possible

On a night shift, many staff take it in turn sleeping for an hour, I could not do this. I tried once when I was working for house keeping at a hotel, it made me so ill I will never ever do it again, I felt worse for having an hours sleep than I would have done for staying awake, the rest of that shift I kept falling asleep. It cost me a fortune as well, as I was not safe to drive I had to get a taxi, and then a taxi back to work the next day! each trip cost about £14!!!!!!!! A very expensive lesson.

[ClariceS]

I agree that it is unprofessional for nurses to sleep on the job. Here it is a terminable offense - a lot because people abused the system. No, there is no pay for the half hour lunch but if people won't manage their time properly and be back on time, they are marked late which if it happens more than once, they will be officially counselled for it. I've not seen that happen for 1 or 2 minutes but when it is 10 -15 minutes every time... Plus, here people only work 8 - 12 hr shifts so there should be no reason to have to sleep at work. Of course, we are not completely heartless and I have seen short naps allowed when extenuating circumstances have arisen.
Also, no offense to whomever made the remark about having to wake the residents, but here they still work the 36+ hour shifts and if they do get a chance to nap at night, we try to be mindful of that.

[AMTRAKBLUZ]

Napping is something that has been taboo for the history of the profession. (and I've been there for many of those years)
I agree that it not only should be allowed, but can be beneficial for many who work noc sifts. especially for those who do not adjust well to those horrible hours. My only problem is with the staff who do not awaken easily after a 30 min nap or "hide" to take sleep breaks and aren't accessible for emergencies.:

[DethOkay]

Sleeping is not a good idea on the job. I charged a surgical unit 7p to 7a for 3 years before taking a prn and travling job and I find it difficult to believe that people sleep on units. I gave my people breaks whenever they wanted.
I made PAPER lunch assignments and breaks, (the regular 30 min and 15 min) but I was VERY lax and allowed 1 to 2 hours, not all at once of course, for breaks and lunch IF there was enought staff and all the work was done.
Sleeping was not tolerated.
I did not believe then nor do i now that a person who is sleeping on the job can perform there job well. I have asked people who were falling out from lack of sleep to go home...WITH NO MALACE.....I lied to my boss and told them anything they wanted to hear (sick, flu ect) to cover for them....But I have also warned people who i caught sleeping to not let it happen again. And I have fired people who were warned and caught again...

I do know in most other professions that sleeping on the job is not tolerated. There are a few exceptions but for the most part it is simply not done....