Sleeping during nightshift!!

Nurses General Nursing

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This is not my first night shift position and I am shocked at how many people at this hospital sleep during their shift. I'm not talking about nodding off for a couple minutes either. They are slumped over in chair, head on the desk drooling all over themselves (at the nurses station!). Their little slumber lasts 1-2 hours, some even sneak off and sleep in their vehicles for this amount time. During this time almost everybody is busy, and even busier because they're pick up their slack.

I have mentioned this to several of the CN's, and don't get much of a response. It just some how seems accepted?!? This just can't be normal?

It's so frustrating, I run my butt off and barely manage to get breaks, eat while chart etc... and there they are: snoozing in the corner.

Please tell me this is far from the norm where you work!

Specializes in home health, geriatrics and ped.

Gee...I followed this post all the way to the end just to find out that it didn't really apply to me. I work in a small LTC facility. I am the only nurse in the building on the noc shift. Do I sleep, even for a 30 minute break. I think not! Would I if I had another nurse to cover for me? I really don't think I would. Like others, a 30 minute nap wouldn't do me any good. Probably leave me wanting more.:chuckle

Unacceptable!

Specializes in Operating Room.

WHAT I'M READING IS CRAZY

WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING TO YOURSELVES? NOT being able to sleep on a night shift, reporting other nurses, getting written up, slaving away...

I passed the NCLEX and let me tell you, there is no way I'll take a nights position. Ever.

This is how it works here in Vancouver Canada

Not only is the starting salary 27 something for a new grad...after two years I'm making $29 something. Buttt....

* We only have 4 patients per shift...max five on Night shifts

* On night shifts, depending on the floor we sleep 2-2.5/3 hours

* We go to the lounge or empty rooms and sleep. We get woken up by half the nurses that stay behind to watch OUR and their own patients.

* Then, we look after theirr patients when they go to sleep.

* Result: everyone is happy, gets along, no one writes no one up, everyone feels much better in the morning.

I"ve had one night in the last two years where I didn't get any sleep and I felt like I would throw up by 6am. Not a very nice feeling. Imagine what that does to your body!

Please, why are you all writing each other up and treating each other so badly. There isn't only one way to be a good nurse, patients are just as safely taken care of here, as where you live.

:uhoh21:

I work on Vancouver Island, also in BC. I am a casual employee that works on 3 different floors. During a night shift (1930-0730) we take a 30m meal break once all of our pt's are settled and meds are given. A few hours later one group of nurses goes for a 2 hour break, some sleep some do not. What you do is your choice. Then after that 2 hours those nurses are woken up and the second group goes. During break time we report off to each other just like a normal break. We do our hourly rounds for each other and deal with any problems. There has only been one time that I have worked and the charge nurse had to be woken up. One of the nurses (one that was NOT on break) pt's had gone hypoglycemic (BS 1.6).

I personally don't sleep on my breaks. It just does not work for me. But I recognize the need for it, as long as the pt's are all taken care of.

I hate to say.....but where I am (out of the country) all nurses on night shift 7P-7A take their hour and a half break and sleep. It is the norm outside the US. Where I was previously working in the states you would have been fired!

Finally, a post that makes sense. The country you are in has the right idea. These self righteous nurses on this board who feel that nurses should not take a nap during their "unpaid" breaks are the professions "know it alls" I'm sure most of them are day shift nurses who either had NEVER worked a night shift...or have not worked one in so long, they don't remember how long it can be. Anytime an employee can close their eyes and sleep for a short period of time to regain some lost energy, has to be an advantage for the nurse, patient and hospital. I was a single mom with three very young daughters and I worked night shift at a hospital. I took my 30 minute break, every shift, and yes, I slept. I would go home, send the babysitter home, get my children up, dressed, and fed, and drive them to school and day care. I would then go home, clean my house and go to bed by noon. I would get up at about 4 when they would get off the bus. I did this day after day, night after night and it helped keep food on my kids table. Don't sit and judge another nurse for what he or she does, on his or her break at work. You have no idea what his or her life is like at home. This may be the most sleep they get in a day. Quit being super nurse and think about those that you work with and help them, as well as your patients. I cannot believe I am a member of such an uncaring, scathing profession.

Specializes in Stroke Seizure/LTC/SNF/LTAC.
WHAT I'M READING IS CRAZY

This is how it works here in Vancouver Canada

* We only have 4 patients per shift...max five on Night shifts

:uhoh21:

Ok, that's it! I'm moving to Canada!;)

Seriously, there was recently an uproar about noc folks sleeping and a memo that being caught is grounds for termination. Not worth it!:nono:

Specializes in trauma, critial care, ob, transplant.

yeah, you lose your license for that in NC...I work nights, and the ones that I have seen doing it (techs, US, other unlicensed personell) tend to get away with more...though I saw someone recently get sent home on the spot for nodding in a conference room. It's not really the norm where I work.

Specializes in home health, geriatrics and ped.

You'll lose your license for sleeping in Ms too. Not too many years back, a nurse and 2 cna's were caught sleeping at a LTC facility. The nurse lost her license and the cnas lost their certifications. It was a small facility and only one nurse there. I wonder what would happen if the only nurse in a facility working the noc shift would have a heart attack or worse? Would she lose her license due to abandment? Just a thought.

Not many years ago in different country, I was in the hospital as patient, receiving antibiotics IM around the clock. One of the dose was at midnight. As a patient, you supposed to get out of bed at time the dose is due and go to the procedure room to receive your shot. On one of the nights, I overslept and woke up around 2 or 3 am. Horrified about missed shot, I went about the unit to find the nurse, and found her sleeping on a sofa in the doctors' room. I still remember pretty vividly her yelling how rude of me it was to wake her up to demand my stupid shot.

Oh yes, I forgot to add hospital did not supply any medications. You had to bring your own meds, and syringes, and alcohol wipes.

You'll lose your license for sleeping in Ms too. Not too many years back, a nurse and 2 cna's were caught sleeping at a LTC facility. The nurse lost her license and the cnas lost their certifications. It was a small facility and only one nurse there. I wonder what would happen if the only nurse in a facility working the noc shift would have a heart attack or worse? Would she lose her license due to abandment? Just a thought.

What you do on your thirty minute break, is your own business unless you are on the clock. You cannot be terminated for sleeping on your break. Period.

WHAT I'M READING IS CRAZY

Please, why are you all writing each other up and treating each other so badly. There isn't only one way to be a good nurse, patients are just as safely taken care of here, as where you live.

:uhoh21:

Amen!

We have an hour break at noc and most people take advantage of the time to sleep. It's funny about the 30 minute thing but sometimes I feel like I've been asleep for hours.

There is a downside though;

There are however some aides that think it's OK to be asleep whenever there isn't a light going off/doing rounds, which might account for about five hours a night. It isn't acceptable on my floor but apparently can be on others. When they come to my floor they start bitching about the fact that I am "mean" because I wake them up. :uhoh3:

I am in the USA

Specializes in Medical, Surgical, Cardiac.
nursey, I agree.

Ask any supervisor, and I think the consensus will be that, as long as it's not illegal, an RN, CNA, whatever should be allowed to do whatever they want on their UNPAID (or paid, if you're lucky) break. Sleep, shoot craps, eat, go for a jog, have sex, twiddle your thumbs, read a book, do a crossword puzzle, pray, (though hopefully not all at the same time-although that would be interesting to see ;) ) whatever.

Me thinks I want to work with you, I love doing all those things at the same time......though never at work.........and the reading while doing a crossword puzzle is tuff:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

But in all seriousness I see no problem with taking a nap during ones break (paid or unpaid, morning noon or night). As long as you're on the floor doing your job when you are supposed to be what is the problem? I have napped on all three shifts, and have always told the charge exactly where I would be.

I do agree that anyone sleeping during their work timeis unacceptable, and should be dealt with strongly.

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