Today was our first day of clinicals for the new semester. In the morning our instructor seemed a little "off". She was kind of unsteady on her feet. She said that she was very tired. We did not see her for the first two hours of clinical. When it was time to pull meds we went to find her. She was in the break room sleeping.
When she was pulling the meds she was very unsteady on her feet and it took her over a half hour to pull meds for 1 patient. When she went into the room with one of the students to give the medication, she fell asleep sitting in the patient's chair. The nurses on the floor and all the students kept asking her if she was feeling okay. She just kept saying that she was tired.
At post conference she was swaying back and forth, almost falling out of her chair. She kept nodding off and when she would wake back up she would make strange, unrelated comments. I do not know what to do. The consensus of the students was to wait and see what she is like on our next clinical day. I was very uncomfortable today and did not feel like she was safe to be supervising us. I am concerned about reporting her to head of our nursing department for fear of repercussions. Any advice?
After a guilt filled weekend, I called my Dean on Tuesday and she told me Thank you, I am already aware of the situation. When we got to our clinicals this week there was an instructor from last semester there. She said that our scheduled instructor would not be our instructor anymore and she didn't know anything else. Now this new instructor is not out instructor either. We had a different one on Friday, and will have another one next week. Apparently, they are in the process of interviewing people to fill the position.
I am hoping that when I go to class tomorrow, I will find out more infromation. What is strange is that our original instructor was still teaching us in lecture last week. Oh well, I just want to get a regular insstructor so that I can get on with the semester. We have not been able to pass meds or do anything but assessments and AM care with our temporary instructors.
Thanks to everyone that took the time to post some advice
I worked with a Nurse that was always falling asleep. First she was training on day shift for a night position so I just thought her sleep patterns were then when she got to nights she was just as bad- she was newly single and out partying alot. She litterally feel asleep standing up against the wall talking to a case manager. She ended up wrecking her car after getting off from night shift. She was then diagnosed with narcolepsy. I never said anything because I just didn't know what to say but all the staff was aware of it.
Maybe she is an undiagnosed diabetic and had low blood sugar. Heheheh...
I just read what another poster mentioned about that and had to edit my post to say I had the same though.
Also, to Daytonite, I used to work with this CNA that was able to fall asleep sitting up in a chair with her eyes wide open. It was wild. She had been a 3rd shift CNA for 20 years, and it was her way of taking quick naps between call lights without getting busted for sleeping.
ICUNurseJess
5 Posts
Just wanted to give everyone an update.
After a guilt filled weekend, I called my Dean on Tuesday and she told me Thank you, I am already aware of the situation. When we got to our clinicals this week there was an instructor from last semester there. She said that our scheduled instructor would not be our instructor anymore and she didn't know anything else. Now this new instructor is not out instructor either. We had a different one on Friday, and will have another one next week. Apparently, they are in the process of interviewing people to fill the position.
I am hoping that when I go to class tomorrow, I will find out more infromation. What is strange is that our original instructor was still teaching us in lecture last week. Oh well, I just want to get a regular insstructor so that I can get on with the semester. We have not been able to pass meds or do anything but assessments and AM care with our temporary instructors.
Thanks to everyone that took the time to post some advice