12N Sleeping During Break

[MEDRQST]

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.

[DusktilDawn]

Believe me I cannot power nap on nights because I would actually feel worse if I tried, however if another person can power nap and recharge their batteries on THEIR break, I have no issue with it.

It's bad enough that nurses are frequently short changed when it comes to breaks and lunches irregardless of shift. In essence we are working for free for half an hour and we are denied the paid fifteen minute breaks that other employees are entitIed to. I think some latitude should be given if a nurse chooses to take a nap on her unpaid break.

[Ann_RN]

If diciplinary action were taken on every nurse who took a break, there would be no nurses at all, except possibly a few anal retentive miserable types. If you don't work nights on a regular basis, how can you judge someone who takes a power nap? Nobody says this is quality sleep, but it is often enough to recharge the brain cells to improve one's function during that hectic time when we increase our level of activity before the daylight people come straggling in with their 7-11 coffee cups chatting about the latest episode of Everybody Loves Raymond while we are trying to give them report. 10 to 15 minutes is often all it takes to recharge me and keep me from slapping my daylight colleagues. Keep in mind, while you daylight only types are disparaging the night staff, we are doing likewise to you. I thought the days of nurses eating their young were over, but shift-ism continues, I see.

[James Huffman]

But as I mentioned before, whether we need "power naps," whether it keeps us from slapping anyone, whether a nap refreshes our brains cells, or whatever, none of that makes a bit of difference if the BON chooses to make a stink about it.

I know that the NC BON regularly provides disciplinary actions such as the ones I've listed below. (The information on the BON website has the names of the nurses; I've edited the names to protect the guilty).

I recommend again: check with your BON. They are usually quite helpful on such matters. It is FAR better to find out beforehand that a practice or behavior is unacceptable than dealing with a complaint. Never underestimate, too, that someone with a vendetta against you can cause problems with such a complaint, even if it's normally something overlooked.

"Joan S., RN (Rockingham, NC & Charleston, SC)-sleeping on duty; issued a Letter of REPRIMAND

Entered into Settlement Agreements with the following on March 30, 2001:

Leatrice W., RN-sleeping on duty; license suspended 3 months; must successfully complete a Board approved Ethical/Legal Decision Making Course; reinstate with restrictions; may be listed as NA II."

Jim Huffman, RN

[Drysolong]

I'm still a student nurse, and my point of view is similar to some of the previous posts.

(1) Unpaid time is your time

(2) The nurse in question was showing consideration for her responsibilities

by taking a break in an accessible area with the knowledge of her

co-workers

(3) The DON, in my opinion, showed a lack of trust, concern and respect for

employees

I am attempting to transition careers, and my experience in the business world was that of administrators who ran away their best employees with just this type of attitude. It is almost as if they don't really want good or exceptional employees; just employees who are obedient and subservient. I don't understand that mentality or how it works for the good of the facility or the patients.

Personally,under ideal circumstances my way of relaxing is to just close my eyes for a few minutes (5-10) every few hours or so and (as I call it) relax my mind, process events and refresh myself. I would not be able to function without this activity at least sometimes. I have already experienced times when the work is so hectic that there is no time to take any sort of break, even for a few minutes. I don't smoke and I prefer working nights, so thanks to all of you for giving me one more thing to consider before taking my first job.

[bagladyrn, RN]

I'm a true "night person" who does not need to nap at night, but let me say that if I were ever reprimanded for doing so on my UNPAID 30 minute break, I would forever after insist upon formal relief for said break (from the house super if necessary) and be completely unavailable for that 30 minutes! If I were unable to be relieved, I would file for pay for that 30 minutes every time complete with documentation as to the circumstances.

Consider very carefully the precedents you want to set up here.

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Sleeping on duty can result in suspension of nursing license, appearing before the Board, and having one's name printed in the disiplinary public record:

http://www.ncbon.com/Disc-Ratified.asp?MONTH=May&YEAR=2003 (scroll down to #3)

[epiphany]

Question is, are you on duty when you are on a break?

That said, your violation posted for all to see is freaky!

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Question is, are you on duty when you are on a break?

That said, your violation posted for all to see is freaky!

Yes, in NC! No sleeping allowed...

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

Years ago, when I was a new-grad PN (am now an RN) I worked w/ an RN who took a nap in an empty pt bed on a rehab unit.

She had been in a car accident a couple days prior. Her ribs were cracked and wrapped. Her LPN had not shown up, and she had to push the med and tx carts around, which was causing her ribs to ache.

I was on the next hall. She informed me of where she would be and how long. She did not take a min longer than her assigned 30 mins break. There were no probs w/ her pts, and everythng was fine.

The DON (a truly evil person in many ways) got wind of it, and turned this nurse in to the BON for "unprofessional conduct."

I was not even licensed yet, and had to go the original nurse's lawyer's office and fill out an affidavit for her hearing w/ the BON.

It did go against this nurses license. I feel it was totally unfair; a witch hunt, really.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Years ago, when I was a new-grad PN (am now an RN) I worked w/ an RN who took a nap in an empty pt bed on a rehab unit.

She had been in a car accident a couple days prior. Her ribs were cracked and wrapped. Her LPN had not shown up, and she had to push the med and tx carts around, which was causing her ribs to ache.

I was on the next hall. She informed me of where she would be and how long. She did not take a min longer than her assigned 30 mins break. There were no probs w/ her pts, and everythng was fine.

The DON (a truly evil person in many ways) got wind of it, and turned this nurse in to the BON for "unprofessional conduct."

I was not even licensed yet, and had to go the original nurse's lawyer's office and fill out an affidavit for her hearing w/ the BON.

It did go against this nurses license. I feel it was totally unfair; a witch hunt, really.

I wonder what he would have done if he'd seen my 8 months pregnant belly pointing towards the ceiling from a couch in the lounge while I was taking a break? Or maybe with my feet up on a chair?

Sad that people have to be so mean.

steph

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

Question is, are you on duty when you are on a break?

That said, your violation posted for all to see is freaky!

I think every state BON publishes the names of every nurse who has been diciplined by them in the BONs' newsletters and on their web-sites.

[live4today, RN]

If its unpaid, it shouldnt matter. If she goes out to her car for 30 min and naps SHE IS ENTITLED. She however, chooses to power nap near her patients where if there is a problem she can be alerted and take action. I give her credit for that.

If her 30 minutes isnt her own to nap on if she wishes, then it should be paid. Then and only then would it be a dischargable offense to sleep while on the job. As long as its done only on an unpaid break. And, it is NOT her co-workers who are responsible for "waking" her when her 30 minutes are up.

I agree with all those who say no harm is done when one is on their break, as long as their patients are covered by another nurse during the breaks taken. What one does on their break is totally their own business. If the hospital wants to make it their business to tell a staff member what to do on their break time, then the hospital better start paying for the breaks taken by their employees. Geesh! As if no ADON or DON or Nurse Manager hasn't gotten away with taking naps on their time? I bet they have.