fell asleep during night shift.

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This is my first time falling asleep during a night shift. I work with a two year old in the home setting with a vent,trach,and gt. I just sat down for a minute and the next thing I know,its 30 minutes lates. The client's father saw me asleep and told me he saw me asleep and that the meds were late.what shall I tell the agency to avoid losing my job?

(The agency scheduled me for a double shift, 3pm to 11pm with one client and the 1130pm to 730am with this client. (That was my first time doing doubles like that)

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I am jealous you work on a unit where you might even get a chance to sit down! Sleep...simply unimaginable. Do all you can to hold onto this job!

It's home health

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

I bet you fell asleep between 3A and 6A. Everybody drags in those hours. Dispatching EMS I had to leave all my computer entry duties for those hours so I had something to keep me awake. At my best I'd have trouble doing your schedule, and I'd never do it again. A human, understandable mistake happened. No harm was done. Who says you can be better than the rest of us? Keep your chin up. If we don't have a bad day every now and then how can we tell when we're having a good day?

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You need to be open, frank, and honest with your agency - including the possibility of telling them you can't handle doubles. Some agencies require them, but if yours doesn't, it would be a good thing to work out with them now as opposed to you falling asleep again and increasing your chances of being fired. I wish you had a family that was perhaps more understanding, but it doesnt sound like the father was. Talk to him, assure him it wont happen again, and talk to your agency BEFORE he does.

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You must have been exhausted...Hope you don't lose your job!

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It is not acceptable for night nurses (or day nurses) to fall asleep while taking care of a private duty home patient. How would you feel if that patient died? It has happened and the family was even "OK" with the nurse sleeping. It is considered negligence and board reportable.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Pretty sure she knows that, blue. People come to allnurses to share and get support from others who have been there. People who guilt-trip and chastise others often have a rude awakening waiting just around the corner. Just my :twocents:

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Specializes in Geriatric Nursing.

Nurses should not fall asleep during their shift. What if something happen to their patients?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Nurses should not fall asleep during their shift. What if something happen to their patients?

Gee, ya think?

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I haven't worked nights for a long time. I don't know how in home care with 1 patient and no other stimulation you can stay awake. It was ahrd from 0300 to 0500 in the hospital even when busy!

My heart goes out to you.

Apparently Blue or whoever that is has super human powers and does not understand mere mortals!:lol2:

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
. . apparently Blue or whoever that is has super human powers and does not understand mere mortals!:lol2:

Luckily someone else chimed in and pointed out that nurses should not fall asleep during their shift because of the possibility that something might happen to their patient. :-/

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It is a tough situation but you couldn't help it. It's not as if you purposefully fell asleep and wanted to neglect the client's needs. Maybe in the future you could try to get the agency to not schedule you for doubles. As a previous reader suggested you could set an alarm on your phone or watch to go off every hour. I worked a lot of doubles as an aide/patient sitter. When I was working as a 1:1 sitter for patients from 11p-7a the patients would often be sleeping. I would only need to take them to the restroom or clean them up and take vitals if all else was well. I found it helpful to have the TV on in the room with mute on or have it very low. Even the light from the TV gave me something to look at and keep me awake. I would make sure I got a break sometime in the night to make a cup of tea with some crackers just to keep me going. Also, if it is allowed by the the agency/client maybe you could bring a portable DVD player or watch videos on an iPod with headphones. Just some suggestions. I would sincerely apologize to the father. If it was reported to the agency, you will have to fess up to it and promise not to do it again. I'm sure this is not the first time this has ever happened as proven by posts here. Best of luck! Let us know what happened!

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Drink more coffee or redbull to keep you awake.

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