12N Sleeping During Break

Nurses Safety

Published

:confused: I am a nurse manager in a HR dept. It has been reported to me that a nurse who was working 12N informed her CNAs that she was going to be in the facility break room for her 30 min lunch if they needed her. The ADON of the facility came in at 5AM (early for 12D shift) and saw the nurse with her head down on the break room table. Instead of approaching her she went to the nurse's station and in 10 min the nurse returned from the break room. Is this an acceptable practice since we deduct 30min for lunch or is this grounds for disciplinary action? The ADON was upset stating that she did not know how long she had been in there that night and then the DON started questioning "how long has she been sleeping on the job" - meaning the two months she has been employed. The DON has made statements that patients were neglected and that she should be discharged and reported to the nursing board. The nurse has told me that she saves her break until the later part of her shift so that she can get a burst of energy for the end of her shift job duties and the long drive home. The nurse feels that her break time is her personal time and she was still accessible to the staff and patients if the need arose ie instead of going to her car. The nurse had excellent references and has received numerous compliments from our day time staff. I feel I should recommend assigning her to straight day sfts to not lose a good employee but feel that others would want her to be discharged to set the example of no tolerance, but with her rebuttal of personal time I feel unsure of how to proceed. They have mentioned that it was an isolated incident that was poor professional judgement on her part, but to me it seems that she had thought out her actions and did not feel she was doing anything wrong so I wanted fellow night nurse's opinion of this or similar incidences. Thanks so much.
Specializes in Oncology.

Wow, I just don't get why this is an issue at all. :confused: Why does it matter that she sleeps during her break? It's her break... from work. She's not sleeping on the job; she's sleeping on her break. BIG difference!

If it's an issue of her being available if an emergency arises, she is! She's much more available than the person outside smoking or running errands or even eating in the cafeteria.

Besides, if her body is telling her that she needs a power nap, then she needs a power nap. I'm sure she's much more effective afterwards. If not, she wouldn't take the nap in the first place. It seems to me that her coworkers are just trying to start trouble. I'm not a nurse yet, but I'm working on my BSN. This cattiness is one thing that I'm NOT looking forward to.

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Specializes in Picu, ICU, Burn.

I've seen both ways as agency. On many units in mulitiple states I've seen it go as far as nurses taking turns with pillow and blankie passed out in empty rooms for an hour. I guess it's okay if they all agree to it and the unit is taken care of. I have been on other units where sleeping is taken very seriously though. I'm suprised this has never come up before in your hospital. I know it happens all the time. It's not advertised to day shift but many of those day people used to be on nights or still rotate so it's not that big of a secret.

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I'd encourage anyone who naps on a "lunch" break to make SURE that this isn't something your board of nursing would consider abandonment.

I agree that it shouldn't be anyone's business what one does on a break, but sometimes the BON can be really funny about such stuff. If someone complains, and the BON chooses to follow through, then current practices where you work, the fact that management doesn't care (or says they don't), none of those will make a difference.

Most BONs have a practice consultant. If you have any doubts whatsoever about your state, call the BON. Lay out the scenario, and ask how they would view it. As I said, I think we should be able to do anything we want on a break. But the BON is not the Department of Labor. Don't assume that your rights as an employee will cover your responsibilities as a nurse.

Jim Huffman, RN

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....sleeping on the job, whether on a break or not, has been dictated by policy as a termination worthy offense. What is interesting is that working both 12-hour days and nights, I have never seen a manager have a problem with a day-shift nurse "closing their eyes for a few minutes" in the breakroom, whereas I have seen a nurse fired for taking a nap on their night shift break.

Night shift nurses often get a bad rap about "sleeping and drinking coffee" all night. It's frustrating for those of us who know that many nights are as busy as any day shift, especially considering that on nights you have far fewer resources to draw from.

On an unpaid break, taking a nap should be fine. I agree with many of the comments that have been made thus far - how is a nap any worse that taking smoke breaks or hanging out in the cafeteria, etc.

On the other hand, night shift nurses have probably all seen someone abuse the night shift sleeping thing.... sometimes people don't limit their sleeping to breaks, and it creates a problem for the workplace.

just a few thoughts....

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I understand your board comment but can't see how it's relative. If I'm on an unpaid break, a break for which I already arranged coverage of my patients while I was gone, then I AM NOT A NURSE DURING THAT 30 MIN PERIOD. Period.

I'm simply an off the clock employee staying available in the event my co-workers should need me to resume being a nurse in an emergency. Personally, I think I should be paid for that. But until I am, it's a courtesy, not a requirement.

So, what do I get for extending this 'courtesy' to my fellow employees, and ultimately, to my employers? Catty managers that want to play the 'We know you bedside nurses are overpaid and lazy' games.

For the record, I reserve the right to be as lazy as I want to be on my own time.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Just my opinion, paid 15min. breaks-on company/hospital rules and regs , unpaid 30min break-her own time whether a smoker,sleeper etc.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

http://www.pbs.org/livelyhood/nightshift/napping.html

~faith,

Timothy.

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For what it's worth, in the ICU unit where I worked, there was a snooze lounge for the nurses. It's like a den with sofas, and nurses as well as PCTs can come in to eat, read or NAP during their break or lunch. No other units have it, and it appeared to have been set up by the manager who has been there for years. Seems acceptable to me.

Also,out of curiousity, if you are working a 12 hour shift and how are your nurses' breaks unpaid or paid? Unless you are working per diem by the hour? I have always just been told my yearly salary, and my weekly hours. Anyone can explain?

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Specializes in Critical Care.
For what it's worth, in the ICU unit where I worked, there was a snooze lounge for the nurses. It's like a den with sofas, and nurses as well as PCTs can come in to eat, read or NAP during their break or lunch. No other units have it, and it appeared to have been set up by the manager who has been there for years. Seems acceptable to me.

Also,out of curiousity, if you are working a 12 hour shift and how are your nurses' breaks unpaid or paid? Unless you are working per diem by the hour? I have always just been told my yearly salary, and my weekly hours. Anyone can explain?

At my work, at the start of hour number 5, the time clock automatically deducts 30 minutes.

If you don't take a break because of work demands, you can ask for a 'no lunch' request to put the 30min back on. But, it has to be justified and it's hard to do every time that actually happens.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in Emergency, Case Management, Informatics.

The really sad thing about this scenario is that if the nurse in question had gone to her vehicle and "hid out" to sleep, she wouldn't be in danger of being caught or punished.

My opinion is that her time is her time. If it's unpaid, it's off the clock. If it's off the clock, she's not acting as a nurse. Of course, as others have pointed out, the BON may have a different point of view, but I doubt it. If the patients are being covered, then everything should be fine.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

If she is on her lunch and she wants to sleep, pick her nose, talk on the phone, eat, smoke, who cares, it is her time. Where I work many people will take a quick 30 minute nap in the breakroom....we even turn out the lights for them. I've done it too if I have been up all day and need to stay up all night. If they are going to be asses about it, then get a travel alarm and go to your car.

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I never would have made it through my pregnancy 4 years ago w/o a "power nap". I completely agree - the unpaid 30 minutes is my time. What is the difference in reading a magazine or napping . . except maybe a more alert and safe nurse?

I think the OP should be grateful for the excellent nurse and tell the DON to go take a nap.

steph

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