Calling in for no sleep

Davey Do · May 23, 2016

Sleep is so very important,RNINIA5. If you truly believe you are putting your patients in danger, then call off.

However, and this is a big however, are you absolutely sure you can not adequately function on 5 hours sleep? I am one who has always needed their 6 to 8 hours of good sleep in order to function comfortably, and I've functioned adequately sleeping 2 hours between 12 hour shifts. I once believed I was off and was called in while getting ready for bed after drinking a glass of wine and went 30+ hours before finally getting some sleep.

The way I dealt with sleep deprivation was to get into the altered state of mind, something I learned while working in Chemical Dependency. In order to focus and concentrate, I kept an internal conversation going on, on the subject at hand. I took everything one step at a time. If a traumatic situation occurred, the adrenalin rush came in handy.

If I would always live my life the way I do when sleep-deprived, I would make fewer mistakes.

Hmmm... maybe I should!

You've just inspired an illuminating revelation which will be life changing for me, RNINIA5!

Thanks!

James W. · May 23, 2016

Pretty sure that nurses are ethically required to be fit for duty,

when they present to provide cares, & must be cognizant of this.

If your functional capacity is compromised, even by fatigue,

it is best to call in, rather than risk a real bad outcome.

Cactus Nurse · May 23, 2016

OMG I am in such a similar boat right now! I'm so dumb, this upcoming week I work Monday at JOB 1 12 hrs.. then 3hrs later I go to JOB 2 and then I told JOB 1 I would cover and get there 2 hours after I'm off my shift.... Then I realized when am I going to sleep???

I can work on 2 or even 1 hour of sleep, but then I CRASH!!!! If anything, go in late, and tell the other nurse he/ she has to stay because you need sleep.... at least being late is better than calling out??

But YES, your sleep is more important, you can't help people if you are about to pass out!

AceOfHearts<3 · May 23, 2016

steti1221 said:
If anything, go in late, and tell the other nurse he/ she has to stay because you need sleep.... at least being late is better than calling out??

PP- So your solution is to make another nurse, who has likely just worked 12+ hours and is tired him/herself, stay until the OP feels ready to come in?! Would YOU like somebody doing that to you? It's not the off-going nurse's problem.

OP- I'm confused. You worked a 12 hr shift Friday that went until 3:30am, which would make it Saturday. However, you state you only had one night to get back to a 7am schedule. Saturday night and Sunday night make 2 nights to get back to a normal schedule. I honestly wouldn't be happy if a coworker called out because they were "tired" if it made the day harder for the rest of the nurses working (unless there were extenuating circumstances like being up caring for a sick child, etc.).

CountryMomma, ASN, RN · May 23, 2016

I have had a coworker call out for not enough sleep. She wasn't punished... it was her PTO...

...but none of us felt very kindly towards her after absorbing her shift, her excuse spread through the gossip channels, and people stopped being willing to trade shifts with her, cover for lunch, etc.

You had time to sleep.

mrsboots87 · May 23, 2016

Another nurse did this at work and I was the "lucky" sole who got to stay over 4 hours. When I had just been on for 3 days. And still had to come back that night. After getting about 4 hours sleep myself.

I was not nice in the slightest and told anyone who asked why I was staying over. Not the best way to ha doe it but I was mad. I will now never trade with this person and will not cover shifts for her. Even for an emergency. Many other nurses also feel the same. Some were not told by me but the gossip train can be strong in irritating situations like this.

Of course you should not go in to work if you are not functionally capable of caring for your patients. It would be prudent of you to protect their safety and your lisence. However, don't expect anyone to be understanding of your inability to get enough sleep over your TWO night off. There really is no good reason outside of ill children or family or some traumatic even that should prevent you from sleeping and no one will be happy to have to find you coverage because you didn't plan your weekend for getting enough sleep.

I work overnights. I have to turn my days around constantly. I plan for it. I stay up longer on my days off so I sleep at a regular time. I stay up longer the night before a shift so I can sleep in the day. If I will only have a night or two off between shift I don't bother turning my day around. You know what your schedule is and 2 days is plenty of time to get your day situated. Sleeping pills. Melatonin. Wine. Stay up longer to go to bed at a regular time. There are lots of ways to turn around. Call out this time and then do better next time because this will likely get some noses turned at you at work.

CaringGerinurse525 · May 23, 2016

I work 12s 3p-3a. I often get home around 4am and go to sleep and my 2 year old is up between 6-7am. I am then up again until 4am the next day. Rinse and repeat. I don't recommend going on that little sleep but it works for us so he doesn't go to daycare. I would love to "only" get 5 hours of sleep!! That's more than I get in 48 hours sometimes!! If you do call off I def. wouldn't say it's because you're tired!

cynmrn · May 23, 2016

I worked Saturday night 7pm-7am on Sunday morning and today (Monday) came to my M-F job and was here at 7:30am...I don't think working until 3:30am on Saturday is really an impediment to working at 0700 on a Monday...

crazin01 · May 23, 2016

I also think it was on you, to get the sleep between saturday AND SUNDAY nights (making it a 2 nite turnaround, not one) to get to work on time & fit for duty Monday at 0700. Sorry if that's harsh to swallow, but nursing isn't the most friendly place to work & isn't for everybody.

So, if this happens often, plan accordingly so you can get to sleep ASAP after that last shift at 0330 Saturday AM. There are a ton of relaxation techniques and ideas out there to aide with sleep, not just on AN. I'd look into those, try & know what works specifically for you and put it into practice. (I used to put cardboard in my windows, covered with room-darkening shades, cell phone OFF, waterfall noise machine; you gotta do what you gotta do!)

I am curious: at the time of this post, were you awake straight thru since prior to your friday 1530-0330 shift? Or were you able to sleep saturday night? Did you stay up really late & get up early on Sunday? Minimize your sleep Saturday night to maximize sunday nite, kind of a deal? That would have been a very simple solution...

If you would call off again, for this reason, I do believe you're co-workers are not going to be happy, as I'm sure some already are pretty upset if you did call out today. I didn't catch if you actually did or not from your OP.

Good luck & wishing good rest!!!

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · May 23, 2016

I've done that once. My scheduled flight was canceled and I couldn't get another flight until the next day. So, instead of spending the day sleeping for my night shift, I spent it at airports and on planes. I was too tired to function and called in with no hesitation.

...but aside from circumstances like those, I make myself sleep (or at least rest).

Nurse131382 · May 23, 2016

I should have added that I had fallen asleep around 10 but woke up with GI issues around 12 that didn't allow me to sleep. I was thinking I might be able to work thru the GI issues but the lack of sleep they caused was my major concern. I have never had this issue before and I've called in once in the past 2 years. Any who I did end up calling in due to being on the can every 30 minutes after I posted this.