Accused of sleeping

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm a private duty peds nurse who primarily does night shifts. While I've managed to stay awake at work, I occasionally feel a need to just close my eyes for about 5 seconds at a time when they get tired. No longer than that. When I do, I'm always sitting up, reading or looking at my iPhone when I do.

my question is, if a patient sees me with my eyes closed, and if they report me to my agency and/or nursing board, how is the investigation handled? It seems like in these cases, it's he said/she said, so how do any nurses ever found guilty of this? I can always argue that I'm immediately responsive, that I'm always holding my book in a way that only a wakeful person could, but it's still my word against theirs.

any thoughts?

... or in the rest room where no one can see you.

In my experience, that will eventually lead to being found sound asleep in the bathroom ... :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I worked nights for a long time. Most of the people caught with their eyes closed had them closed for more than 5 seconds, despite their protestations. I've worked with nurses who could doze off mid-sentence, doze for 30 minutes and wake up and continue the sentence with no break. It is entirely possible that you're "resting your eyes" for longer than you think you are. That needs to stop. If you MUST "close your eye for five seconds", do it either standing up (not that standing is total proof you're awake) or in the rest room where no one can see you.

I was thinking the same thing. Many times people don't realize how long they've had their eyes shut. ;)

One particular nurse stands out. And this would happen shortly after rounding on our patients the first time. She would be sitting at the nurses station with pen in hand charting and her eyes would be closed and the pen would be slowly moving making "chicken scratches" in the chart.

And elkpark is right - I've come across people asleep in the bathroom as well.

Our shifts were 0245 - 1515 (day shift) and 1445-0315 (night shift). I worked days. Lots of sleepy nurses on each shift.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I have never heard of hours like that! No way could I sign on for those shifts =(

I was thinking the same thing. Many times people don't realize how long they've had their eyes shut. ;)

One particular nurse stands out. And this would happen shortly after rounding on our patients the first time. She would be sitting at the nurses station with pen in hand charting and her eyes would be closed and then pen would be slowly moving making "chicken scratches" in the chart.

And elkpark is right - I've come across people asleep in the bathroom as well.

Our shifts were 0245 - 1515 (day shift) and 1445-0315 (night shift). I worked days. Lots of sleepy nurse on each shift.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I have never heard of hours like that! No way could I sign on for those shifts =(

I had a colleague who started out in Las Vegas. Those were the shifts she worked there. She said it made sense and she didn't mind it because she'd worked in the casinos before nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

I know of a CNA that was fired for sleeping who happens to be a very good CNA she was working a double and they had her be a sitter even though she wanted to work the floor. On the other hand I've known several nurses who would fall asleep and take short naps and this was tolerated the supervisor would even laugh. One would take her break and have a timer wake her up. One guy used to actually take a nap in an empty bed on a closed unit and ask the CNA to wake him up. She, of course, reported him, but supposedly the manager sided with him that it was ok to nap on break. Strange hey? He since quit and went elsewhere.

Later a new supervisor took over and wasn't amused and reported the one she found sleeping. That nurse was shocked to get in trouble after napping was allowed for years, but now she makes a point to stay awake. This isn't a problem for me because I make sure to get my sleep before working, but many people skimp on sleep and then it becomes a struggle to stay awake. Truthfully I was more sleep deprived when I worked days for a short time and volunteered to go back on nights! lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I fell asleep once during my shift when I was taking a pump break (lactating).

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I never fell asleep on nights. In fact I had trouble getting to sleep in the morning. We were busy, hard to wind down.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.

I feel you, OP. Those peds nights shifts are so hard, especially when equipment gives off that dreamy lullaby of white noise. Even if nothing can be proven and the agency takes your word for it (and the family doesn't pursue it), a complaint about you sleeping would still stick in the minds of staffing/management, and possibly diminish your credibility in the future. Quite a few nurses have fallen asleep at my job, but they only get reassigned to another case from what I've seen. What frightens me most is that many parents accept it as a reality or encourage it just to ensure they keep shift coverage ("I don't mind if you sleep," or "here's a pull-out sofa, it's yours if you agree to stay on with our daughter").

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I know of a CNA that was fired for sleeping who happens to be a very good CNA she was working a double and they had her be a sitter even though she wanted to work the floor. On the other hand I've known several nurses who would fall asleep and take short naps and this was tolerated the supervisor would even laugh. One would take her break and have a timer wake her up. One guy used to actually take a nap in an empty bed on a closed unit and ask the CNA to wake him up. She, of course, reported him, but supposedly the manager sided with him that it was ok to nap on break. Strange hey? He since quit and went elsewhere.

Later a new supervisor took over and wasn't amused and reported the one she found sleeping. That nurse was shocked to get in trouble after napping was allowed for years, but now she makes a point to stay awake. This isn't a problem for me because I make sure to get my sleep before working, but many people skimp on sleep and then it becomes a struggle to stay awake. Truthfully I was more sleep deprived when I worked days for a short time and volunteered to go back on nights! lol

Ew. I wouldn't trust laying on those beds. Just ew.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Is it ever okay to sleep on your "lunch" break on nights? I never eat on nights and the computers go down every night at a certain time. And everyone is usually asleep. Aren't lunches guaranteed by labor laws?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Is it ever okay to sleep on your "lunch" break on nights? I never eat on nights and the computers go down every night at a certain time. And everyone is usually asleep. Aren't lunches guaranteed by labor laws?

Not unless you are under age 18, work in transportation or railroad per federal labor laws. State labor laws vary but in my state no guarantee lunch but if your break is less than 30 minutes it must be paid.

If it were day shift would you question a nurse nodding off in a patient home or in a facility? (The original question was related to private duty nursing in a patient home)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.
Is it ever okay to sleep on your "lunch" break on nights? I never eat on nights and the computers go down every night at a certain time. And everyone is usually asleep. Aren't lunches guaranteed by labor laws?

On AN I've heard some places don't allow sleeping on your lunch. As for me, when I worked nocs in SNFs and in the acute hospital, naps were fine on your own time. Just don't fall asleep for longer than your allotted breaks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment