Calling in for no sleep

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

On Friday I was scheduled a 12 hour shift that went to 3:30am. The Monday after I am scheduled to work at 0700. I had one night to try and totally change my sleep schedule. That being said it's 3am and I haven't slept a wink. I need at least 5 hours of sleep to function and that obviously isn't going to happen. Is it acceptable to call in because you haven't slept?

As someone who is often stuck covering shifts when someone calls in I honestly don't care why you are calling. Either way I have to get someone to cover you so what difference does it make?

1 Votes

When someone says "I'm in a situation that leaves my cognitive abilities impaired, so I'm calling off one shift because I don't feel safe to practice,"

...it feels so very odd to me that common responses include "But that doesn't impair me, so you shouldn't be impaired. Have you tried harder to not be impaired?"

1 Votes
Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.
Horseshoe said:
Considering your screen name, that's a funny typo. :D

I would have been really peeved, too.

Haha. I noticed it after it was too late to edit and hoped it wasn't too noticeable to others. Oops.

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NotAllWhoWandeRN said:
When someone says "I'm in a situation that leaves my cognitive abilities impaired, so I'm calling off one shift because I don't feel safe to practice,"

...it feels so very odd to me that common responses include "But that doesn't impair me, so you shouldn't be impaired. Have you tried harder to not be impaired?"

Right? I drink two shots, and I'm down for the count.

My brother goes through a quart of whiskey every two days and can do math equations in his head while operating heavy machinery.

I'm definitely not going to try to keep up with him.

Typical AN martyrdom.

"Ooh, you got 4 hours of sleep? Well, I can nurse circles around you on 2 hours!"

Gag.

1 Votes
Specializes in Acute Rehab & Med/Surg.

I think if you honestly believe that you cannot fulfill your shift adequately (or even drive there and back) and safely you should call off. Yes people will be mad. But what is safe is safe. But then if it happens again that'll be another story. I know sometimes we can't help it, but if it's frequent lily happening then you have to look at other factors.

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Quote
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.).

^^^ This.

Also, I don't know of any fields of work that would be pleased with a person calling out due to being sleepy.

P.S. That's why they invented over-the-counter sleeping pills (I.e. ZzzQuil). Had it been me, I would have taken one Saturday and Sunday so I was sure to be back on track and ready for my Monday shift.

1 Votes
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

OP has still not explained how Saturday and Sunday night only equals one night.

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loriangel14 said:
OP has still not explained how Saturday and Sunday night only equals one night.

She posted in the middle of the night with no sleep and a GI bug, saying she felt she would be impaired if the tried to work that way. Maybe making a mistake about the timeline while in that state supports the idea that she knew her limit and was past it.

1 Votes

I have had to call in for no sleep before and I only work day shifts. I have even taken OTC sleep aids and not gone to sleep until an hour before the alarm goes off. Two things that have helped me is taking a time released melatonin instead of the regular. Tart cherry juice works better than the time released melatonin. It sounds strange but works great, here is a link to a research article. Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. - PubMed - NCBI

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loriangel14 said:
OP has still not explained how Saturday and Sunday night only equals one night.

Kinda making the point for her, doncha think?

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Just say you have a bug. No need to do anything else. Honesty can get you in trouble

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I find it so ridiculous that nurses can't use the same benefits every other profession uses. Sick leave/PTO is part of your compensation package-- but GOD forbid you actually use it! It's crap! For whatever reason you were unable to get a wink of sleep in the 24 hours prior to your shift, it is simply unsafe and irresponsible to go to work, imo. I'm sorry people are giving you a hard time about not sleeping over the weekend. I'm assuming you slept when you got home Saturday morning but for whatever reason have been unable to sleep on Sunday... it happens (I'm a chronic insomniac so I can relate).

While I've never actually called in for lack of sleep (I can function on 3-4 hours pretty well), I would if I had absolutely no sleep. There is no reason to explain the sleep thing, just tell them you are under the weather and not fit for duty. Leave it at that.

If your facility doesn't properly staff and do not have on-call staff for when scheduled people are sick, that is really a breakdown in management with your facility, and not your problem.

Sometimes people get sick or are otherwise unfit for duty. You call in. It may suck for your employer to find someone else, it may suck for your co-workers to work understaffed or have to pick up extra shifts.. but in the grand scheme of things, you have to do what is best for YOU and leave the rest at the door.

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