falling asleep during nightshift

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  1. Sleeping

    • 19
      only terrible nurse aides sleep on nightshift
    • 20
      we all get tired

39 members have participated

of course you shouldn't do it

but come on. we are not perfect. If you have had a hard time sleeping, I can not blame you for dozing off. all i can say is don't make a habit out of it.

I can remember once i fell asleep for 30 minutes on the nightshift on my first nurse aide job i ever had. I know i slept, because i had a dream. Funny enough my dream was about work. I dreamed i was sitting in the chair that i fell asleep in and my co-worker was like "come on we gotta make rounds" and i just could not get out that chair. It was like i was paralyzed. No, it did not actually happen, because when i woke up it was no where near time for us to make rounds.

Im probably gonna get alot for this, but im the type of co-workers that understand your tired and if you need me to poke you on the head for rounds or when your light goes off then i will. I actually have a co-worker like that and she is a really good nurse aide. The most i will ever do is curl up and close my eyes to meditate, but i won't actually fall asleep. I won't to know everyone else's take on this. Is it really that bad?

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Specializes in NICU.

Your poll presents a false dichotomy.

Of course we all get tired; whether on nights or days depends on the individual. What really isn't okay is just dozing off while you are expected to be alert. I have worked in several facilities that allowed night shifters to take sleep breaks -- the crucial factor is that this was expected and planned for, coworkers knew when and where their colleagues were, and all patients were officially accounted for by someone. If nurses and aides are randomly dozing or "closing their eyes," what's to keep them from all doing it at once?

ETA: Being "good" or "terrible" at your job is irrelevant. If you're sleeping, you're not doing your job.

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It's a firing offense everywhere I've ever worked. No questions, no excuses. "Curl up and close (your) eyes to meditate"? C'mon.

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My minimum expectation for a "good" employee is that they're actually conscious while they're "working".

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Your poll presents a false dichotomy.

Of course we all get tired; whether on nights or days depends on the individual. What really isn't okay is just dozing off while you are expected to be alert. I have worked in several facilities that allowed night shifters to take sleep breaks -- the crucial factor is that this was expected and planned for, coworkers knew when and where their colleagues were, and all patients were officially accounted for by someone. If nurses and aides are randomly dozing or "closing their eyes," what's to keep them from all doing it at once?

ETA: Being "good" or "terrible" at your job is irrelevant. If you're sleeping, you're not doing your job.

We get a 30 minute break to. During our pedicure time we do get to sit down. I'm talking about nodding off while sitting down. Should you be blamed for that? I mean if you haven't slept well in weeks can you really help it.

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It's a firing offense everywhere I've ever worked. No questions, no excuses. "Curl up and close (your) eyes to meditate"? C'mon.

Well it's not like I'm not aware of what's going on I'm completely awake

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ETA: Being "good" or "terrible" at your job is irrelevant. If you're sleeping, you're not doing your job.

Ok so I come in give 2 people a bath,change 10 people answer lights, start my charting, and then get vitals, but if I close my eyes after I do all that after not sleeping right for weeks even though my coworker is right there to wake me up I'm "not doing my job". .............ok

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There's so many layers of "nope" in this post, I don't even know where to begin.

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Ok so I come in give 2 people a bath,change 10 people answer lights, start my charting, and then get vitals, but if I close my eyes after I do all that after not sleeping right for weeks even though my coworker is right there to wake me up I'm "not doing my job". .............ok

Correct. You're not doing your job.

Your job is to stay awake - what if your patient codes? And don't say "Oh, my coworker will wake me up!" because that's still absolutely deplorable.

Your sleep problems are your own; you were hired to take care of people, not make excuses for why you can sleep during the shift. Your lack of work ethic is actually irritating me, and usually I'm pretty unflappable. It's to the point that the more you post, the more I hope that you're trolling.

I remember in your first thread (that got deleted) you said that nursing homes only seem to hire you if they are desperate, and I think I see why.

And in response to:

I mean if you haven't slept well in weeks can you really help it.
I have suffered with serious sleep issues for years and I have -never- fallen asleep when doing overnights. Sure, I've felt like crap, I've been overtired as heck, but I've never ever fallen asleep or given myself the opportunity to. If I feel myself getting super sleepy I'll go do something productive until I perk up again. So yes, you really can help it.
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Correct. You're not doing your job.

Your job is to stay awake - what if your patient codes? And don't say "Oh, my coworker will wake me up!" because that's still absolutely deplorable.

Your sleep problems are your own; you were hired to take care of people, not make excuses for why you can sleep during the shift. Your lack of work ethic is actually irritating me, and usually I'm pretty unflappable. It's to the point that the more you post, the more I hope that you're trolling.

I remember in your first thread (that got deleted) you said that nursing homes only seem to hire you if they are desperate, and I think I see why.

And in response to: I have suffered with serious sleep issues for years and I have -never- fallen asleep when doing overnights. Sure, I've felt like crap, I've been overtired as heck, but I've never ever fallen asleep or given myself the opportunity to. If I feel myself getting super sleepy I'll go do something productive until I perk up again. So yes, you really can help it.

Ok you've been having sleep issues for a while and never dosed off once

Sure

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Correct. You're not doing your job.

Your job is to stay awake - what if your patient codes? And don't say "Oh, my coworker will wake me up!" because that's still absolutely deplorable.

Your sleep problems are your own; you were hired to take care of people, not make excuses for why you can sleep during the shift. Your lack of work ethic is actually irritating me, and usually I'm pretty unflappable. It's to the point that the more you post, the more I hope that you're trolling.

I remember in your first thread (that got deleted) you said that nursing homes only seem to hire you if they are desperate, and I think I see why.

And in response to: I have suffered with serious sleep issues for years and I have -never- fallen asleep when doing overnights. Sure, I've felt like crap, I've been overtired as heck, but I've never ever fallen asleep or given myself the opportunity to. If I feel myself getting super sleepy I'll go do something productive until I perk up again. So yes, you really can help it.

Well in all fairness you're irritating to me

I don't understand how everyone on this site expects nurse aides to be these perfect little angels and berrate anyone who isn't

By the poll results I'm not the first to think like this but I am the first to admit it

And how can you say you understand why I don't get hired do you live where I live? Do you know if there are plenty job available? Well let me tell you there isn't

I'll admit my charting and vitals was a problem, but I've fixed that. Even my nurses who you love so much snooze sometimes

And this post is referring to those sometimes not every night. So before you go barking bad cna good cna. Think first

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

As a manager, I prefer to take a "don't ask;don't tell" approach. I worked night shift for years, I know it's hard. On slow nights, it's really hard. As long as the patients are being taken care of, and all coworkers are okay with it and are doing it equitably and covering for each other, I dont have a problem with it, just don't talk to me about it, okay?

The OP seems pretty defensive about the situation, however.

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