Another staff sleeping problem.

[greg in mass]

Let's say a staff member you are supervising falls asleep at work. (In addition, you are the charge nurse on duty on that unit.) Let's also say that this particular staff is monitoring a highly suicidal client. While this staff falls asleep, this client gets a hold of the sleeping staff's pen. This client then immediately stabs her repeatedly and causing obvious damage. This sleeping staff finally awakens after the client screams out in pain several times. You and the rest of the staff rush over and are then presented with this situation.

What are the legal ramifications that you can incure since you are the charge nurse supervising this staff?

What should happen to this sleeping staff?

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[minurse]

greg,I hope this is hyothetical. Otherwise, immediate treatment of patient and immediate removal of staff member.

[greg in mass]

Yes this is just hypothetical. However, I just want to know what the legal ramifications are to you as the charge nurse supervising this staff member doing this act....as well as what can and should happen to this staff.

My understanding is that it is projected within the next 10 years there will be a shortage of nurses in all fields of nursing. If it we are already working with staff shortages now, then imagine the number of legal problems that will arise in the future. Some problems can be prevented as the hypothetical problem I have presented, but some may not.

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