Anyone allowed to nap on their breaks?

fergus51 · Jul 15, 2001

I can do whatever the hell I want to on my break. I would be severely pissed off if someone told me how I could spend my own time.

Janet Barclay · Jul 16, 2001

Lots of nurses nap on their breaks.

Our folks are paid for 11.05 out of a 12 hour shift. I think that means that they can do whatever the heck they want with that hour.

As for me, a fifteen minute nap just feels like more! I wake up , can't remember my name, or what I'm doing there, but that's just me.

When I was pregnant (both times), I'd fall asleep in the back and my coworkers would only wake me if they really needed me. They are hte greatest bunch of nurses you've ever had the pleasure to work with!

babynurselsa, RN · Jul 16, 2001

At one facility I worked at we were allotted an hour lunch break and could go into the staff lounge and nap. In fact it was the running joke of "who was sleeping with who tonight." where I work nor it is a terminatable offense......If Caught....

we take care of each other though and since I have been pregnant I have been alloted my fair share of catnaps to get me throught the shifts.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Jul 16, 2001

Question: did you clock out? That would be the only way that I would feel comfortable. IF I had a free hour, I think if I needed to nap, I'd clock out and go nap somewhere OFF the floor.

Our facility policy was automatic dismissal if caught sleeping during "working hours" and that included lunch. They counted us working for 12 1/2 hours and then "deducted" lunch time.

fiestynurse · Jul 16, 2001

Then basically, P_RN, they should have been paying you for that lunch break, if they were going to include it in what they described as "working hours" Sounds like they wanted to control what you did on your lunch break, just in case they needed to call you back to the floor. Many facilities try this tactic--not allowing you to sleep or not allowing you to leave the building,etc---but someone eventually challenges it legally and it is found to be just that, illegal. Your unpaid breaktime is your time to freely do want you want. Why wouldn't a facility want a well rested staff. Every place that I have worked has allowed nurses to sleep during breaktime if they want. Now, maybe they can dictate where they will allow you to sleep. But, they can't tell you what to do on your unpaid free time.

KARRN3 · Jul 16, 2001

WHAT YOU DO ON YOUR UNPAID TIME IS UP TO YOU.HAD AN EXPERIENCE WHEN A HEAD NURSE TOOK ISSUE WITH MY LEAVING THE HOSPITAL DURING MY DINNER BREAK,THOUGHT SHE HAD THE RIGHT TO MAKE ME STAY ON MY UNIT,IN CASE THEY NEEDED ME DURING MY BREAK.I TOLD HER IF SHE WANTED TO PAY ME I'D STAY OTHERWISE MY TIME WAS MY TIME.THE LABOR BOARD AGREED-NO FURTHER ISSUE ABOUT MY OWN TIME.

oldgal · Jul 16, 2001

About 7-8 years ago I had a job working as the only R.N. working in a small ICU 7 pm-7am. I could not make it through the night without a short break. I am not a night person. For my lunch break, I had to be relieved by the house supervisor. I would take my 15 minute break plus my lunch break (total 45 minutes) and gl to the lounge in the basement and sleep. My supervisor knew where I was if she needed me for anything. And, believe it or not I would automatically wake up at the end of my break and go back to work. I worked there about 2 years and did it the whole time I worked there without any hassle.

tiger · Jul 17, 2001

just as others have said we can do anything we want on our break time. we always go out for food and some people go sit in their car and read and some people take a nap. j

ohbet · Jul 27, 2001

Where I work,sleeping on breaks was abused. The new,mostly unenforced policy,is staff can sleep on their 10 min break only in specified areas. If staff is found with eyes closed and not in the break rm. or not on their break. they can be written up. I think a write up occurred only once, a mostly hated RN wrote up a CNA for having eyes closed when she wasnt on break. Bad news

PhantomRN · Jul 27, 2001

I found in my facility the policy depends on what floor one works on. In the unit the girls are allowed to take a nap, but anywhere else you would be terminated.

night owl · Jul 27, 2001

napping on your break is one thing. sleeping half the tour of duty is another... :eek:

at my facility, i've had staff sleep from 1am to 4 or 5am. they were written up numerous times and now they no longer work there. your break time is your time to do whatever. after that, you're obligated to be fully alert and functioning as a member of the nursing team.