falling asleep during nightshift

[nightlightnurseaide]

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?

[Wiggly Litchi]

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

Sure

I haven't. If I started feeling tired, I'd go and do something productive because I knew that if I sat down and allowed myself to get comfortable, then I would.

[nightlightnurseaide]

I worked night shift for 1+ years in the OR. Just like working on a floor or nursing home, the OR, ED, etc, all have slow and crazy times. If the OR was crazy, the time flew and my shift was over before I knew it. My patient laying on the table was more important than getting some shut-eye. My patients' are putting their life and trust in my hands. It's a HUGE responsibility and not something to take lightly.

When I had slow nights, I stayed active on my feet and did everything (in addition to my regular duties) from cleaning, organizing, stocking, and even exercising. I brought my tablet with workouts I could stream. I drank more water (more water= more bathroom breaks) when I saw my coworkers scarfing down sugar-laced foods and coffee to stay awake. My rooms were checked and double checked to make sure my day-time coworkers had everything needed for that case. I got any certifications/continuing hour educations worked on when the opportunity rose.

Was it easy? No. I was lucky if I even got 4 hours of sleep before my shift showed up. Come morning, I was dragging, but I never fell asleep. The facilities I've worked at (like most others) have a no-tolerance policy for sleeping on the job. By doing so, you put your patients' safety at a huge risk. If there's an emergency, your co-workers will not have the time to find you and joustle you awake. If one of your patients' fell and broke a bone or got a subdural hemorrhage that requires an emergency craniotomy, how would you explain not answering the bed alarm? "Oh, I was asleep and didn't hear it go off?" Another example...your patient has an emergent GI bleed that requires stat treatment, but declined due to not being treated quickly enough. Falling asleep will not hold up in a court of law. Night shift has less resources due to decreased staffing. It is imperative to be awake should an emergency rise.

OP, you may need to take a look at your schedule to see how to organize things to get some sleep. Plenty of people I know also take sleep aids (prescribed or OTC like melatonin). It is worth a try. Good luck.

im actually blessed with being able to sleep whenever i want as long as its dark, but like i said we are not made to sleep during the day so i have my issues. You definetly shouldn't close your eyes in a nursing facility, but at the end of the day we are all people so we need that extra energy to make it through the night. the extreme lack of sleep ive experinced and others have experinced can put a great strain on your heart and mental health and all of them act as if it's nothing to be concerned about. i am honestly very worried about them.

oh and sleep aides dont help for me. If anything they make it worse making me feel more sleepy at work even if i take the minute i get back.

i hope it works for you though. thanks for the advice

[nightlightnurseaide]

I haven't. If I started feeling tired, I'd go and do something productive because I knew that if I sat down and allowed myself to get comfortable, then I would.

ok

sure

[mushyrn, BSN, RN]

I see absolutely nothing wrong with sleeping on an actual break where someone is covering your patients, if you need the sleep that bad. Your employer will deduct the pay from you anyway, and I don't work for free. While you're on break, that is your time. Heck, you could take a shot of liquor in the parking lot on your break if you want (but I would definitely suggest calling in for the rest of the day [and I would never do that, of course]).

That being said, your attitude is a bit defensive and the way that you are coming across on the forum is rude and harsh. It sounds like somebody said something to you about you doing it?

[nightlightnurseaide]

I see absolutely nothing wrong with sleeping on an actual break where someone is covering your patients, if you need the sleep that bad. Your employer will deduct the pay from you anyway, and I don't work for free. While you're on break, that is your time. Heck, you could take a shot of liquor in the parking lot on your break if you want (but I would definitely suggest calling in for the rest of the day [and I would never do that, of course]).

That being said, your attitude is a bit defensive and the way that you are coming across on the forum is rude and harsh. It sounds like somebody said something to you about you doing it?

no not at all actually

id admit i may be sounding rude and harsh, but they arent much better. sleeping on your break isnt the best thing either you may sleep through any alarm set to wake you up and completely sleep past your break, unless someone knows where you are.

from now on ill just refer everyone to this article

Napping During Night Shift: Practices, Preferences, and Perceptions of Critical Care and Emergency Department Nurses

thanks again to the person who brought that to my attention

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Interesting topic, sort of weird how hospitals in North America make it a firing offense. There have been many studies in Europe and Asia that show night shift workers are far more alert during their shift if allowed to take a cat nap during their break. Myself I don't wake up well from catnaps so I pace around the nurses station when really sleepy.

Napping During Night Shift: Practices, Preferences, and Perceptions of Critical Care and Emergency Department Nurses

Here is an interesting AACN article on nurses in critical care, and napping habits .... or we can just ridicule the poor OP who really doesn't deserve the toxic comments aimed at him/her.

Cheers

Telling the OP she shouldn't be sleeping on the clock is not "toxic." Geez...

[nightlightnurseaide]

Telling the OP she shouldn't be sleeping on the clock is not "toxic." Geez...

It isn't but saying I'm irritating is

[missmollie, ADN, BSN, RN]

After reading your other posts, I can definitively say you should have no part in nursing.

This is not about you, ever, in any way. No, some guy is not peeing on himself to have you touch him, yes, you need to stay awake during your shifts, and you are the very definition of special snowflake.

There are literally thousands of people who do this same job with no issues. Thousands. Your experience does not trump the majority. You put yourself first in every single post, without a single shred of empathy or feeling.

Just get out. This is not the job for you.

[nightlightnurseaide]

After reading your other posts, I can definitively say you should have no part in nursing.

This is not about you, ever, in any way. No, some guy is not peeing on himself to have you touch him, yes, you need to stay awake during your shifts, and you are the very definition of special snowflake.

There are literally thousands of people who do this same job with no issues. Thousands. Your experience does not trump the majority. You put yourself first in every single post, without a single shred of empathy or feeling.

Just get out. This is not the job for you.

Your probably right, but until another job opportunity pops up I have to stick with this one

.you do not need to talk about that resident,because you have never had him and doesn't know how he acts. I do appreciate the advice though. Until I find a new job I'll keep this one and keep taking care of my residents to the best of my abilities

Thank you

[Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN]

ok

sure

I've changed my mind. You *know* everyone else naps on the job and just isn't admitting it. You *know* once you've finished your tasks, your patients won't need anything else until you round on them again. Know what, go ahead and nap since you're so omniscient...or better yet, find a way to patent that and then you won't have to work any more night shifts anyway.

[Wiggly Litchi]

I've changed my mind. You *know* everyone else naps on the job and just isn't admitting it. You *know* once you've finished your tasks, your patients won't need anything else until you round on them again. Know what, go ahead and nap since you're so omniscient...or better yet, find a way to patent that and then you won't have to work any more night shifts anyway.

Thank you. I wasn't gonna touch that one, but you just said what I wanted to perfectly.

[JadedCPN, BSN, RN]

I've worked night shift for 12 years and have never slept on the job. I firmly believe sleeping out in the open at work should be a fireable offense.

Your collection of posts show one of the worst work ethics I've come across in years, not to mention the apparent selfishness and self-centered focus you seem to have. That's more worrying than any amount of sleeping.