Fellow RN died this morning.

[Ali_Oop07]

My coworker (and friend, mother, grandmother) died this morning in a car crash, she fell asleep at the wheel after working a 12+ hour night shift.

I just wanted to tell other night nurses (that are prone to getting sleepy on the drive home) that it is NOT worth it, and I wanted to tell ALL nurses to hug your babies!

She will be greatly missed.

~Ali

[TiggerBelly]

So sorry to hear of your loss.

[b eyes]

so sorry to hear about your coworker...will keep you and her famiy in my prayers..

b eyes

[TX_ICU_RN]

My prayers are with you and all who knew her. My husband is a RN as well and used to fall asleep constantly on the way home from the night shift. Fortunately, he would pull over somewhere safe before he fell asleep. My mother worked days at a hospital near him and she used to call me when she got to work to let me know she had seen him parked in his spot and that he was ok(this was before we all had cell phones).

[vivibonita]

I'm so sorry for what happened to your friend Ali.

I just wanted to tell other night nurses (that are prone to getting sleepy on the drive home) that it is NOT worth it

... to trade your life for extra money or hours.

We really need to start recognizing, not only when we are emotionally burned out but also physically. When do we put the limit? Our body already knows how to tell us when we are abusing it, and not all the money in the world will give us our health or lives back. How are we supposed to take care of patients if we first dont' take care of ourselves.

Please take care of yourselves.

[casi, ASN, RN]

I'm sending my love and warm thoughts to you and your co-workers at this tough time.

[Riseupandnurse]

I am so sorry for you, and for your fellow nurse. The very same thing happened to a nurse at our hospital. She stayed awake to take her kids to grandma's, then was going home to sleep. Thankfully she got the kids to her mother's before she fell asleep at the wheel and crashed. Night shift is so hard on a person, even though she was young and beautiful and full of life.

[RNDude]

I am saddened and so sorry for your loss.

When I worked night shift, I found staying awake at the wheel on the way home to be a dangerous challenge sometimes. I would nap in my car sometimes, regardless of the discomfort. I've certainly heard some horrifying accounts from fellow nurses about close calls.

I wish it were common practice in hospitals to provide a place to shower and a quiet room with cots so that tired shift workers could nap before braving their commute.

[Debilpn23]

I Just wanted to say I am so sorry about your loss

[DeLana_RN, BSN, RN]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

((( Hugs )))

DeLana

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I, too, am sorry to hear about this. And, I hope that as nurses, we know when we are really running ourselves ragged. There are familes that look forward to us coming home as well, and we need to take care of ourselves so that we can care for our families, friends and patients. Prayers to you and the family that experienced the loss.

[Fonenurse]

I'm really sorry for your loss - it happened to a colleague of mine in a similar fashion many years ago. Truly tragic. You and her family and loved ones are in my thoughts and prayers

[imenid37]

I worked straight nights for 16 years. I am so sorry about the loss of your friend. Often a night nurse goes home and watches kids or grandkids or takes their mom/dad to the doctor. If you do nights, you must manage the rest of your life to maximize your sleep. As nurse, we have such a hard time saying no and putting ourselves first. I don't know if you're nights too. Please make sure you get enough sleep yourself if you are. Take care.