Night shift naps

Specialties NICU

Published

A BIG no-no...but some RN's still do it. And, for the most part get by with it. HOW? It is embarrassing to the unit when there is a float nurse not to mention the alarms answered on their behalf. Noone wants to be a snitch, but it's always the same people...night after night.

Management must know about the problem, but what is done. I know discipline is sometimes unknown, but come on. I get tired too. I have kids too. I plan accordingly, so that I can sleep...for the most part.

These are my friends/co-workers. It's not fair for morale between night shift and day shift to be torn down because of a few offenders. Yes, they know.

How is this handeled in your unit?

Sometimes things are posted twice, not on purpose :)

You do realize I WAS kidding don't ya??!!

Specializes in nicu.

We have 2 night nurses that have been known to sit in the recliners of our patents cubby room and act like they are charting when they are actually napping. Our nurse managers are aware of the situation and have alerted our night supervisor to change up her normal routine times of visiting our unit in order to catch these nurses who have fallen asleep. We do have recliners in our breakroom in which a few of the night nurses will nap while on there break which is allowed as long as we are sure to return from out breaks on time. I have found that if I take a nap on my breaks I am to tired to function fro the rest of the shift, I either go for a long walk with one of my coworkers or we all talk and watch some of the late night news or movies that might be on while on our breaks. If you are cocerned about your coworkers disapearing and sleeping or even just sleeping when not on a break I would bring it to someones attention because if something horrible were to happen they might sleep through it or make a mistake because they are not fully awake to function and we need to watch out for our babies first not our coworkers.

Specializes in NICU.
I have found that if I take a nap on my breaks I am to tired to function fro the rest of the shift, I either go for a long walk with one of my coworkers or we all talk and watch some of the late night news or movies that might be on while on our breaks.

I'm the same way! I just get more tired if I take a nap on my lunch break. We usually get an hour for lunch, so some people will take a nice hour long nap. I wish I could do that, but I can't. It just makes me more sleepy! I do like you said .... go for a walk or watch some TV.

A BIG no-no...but some RN's still do it. And, for the most part get by with it. HOW? It is embarrassing to the unit when there is a float nurse not to mention the alarms answered on their behalf. Noone wants to be a snitch, but it's always the same people...night after night.

Management must know about the problem, but what is done. I know discipline is sometimes unknown, but come on. I get tired too. I have kids too. I plan accordingly, so that I can sleep...for the most part.

These are my friends/co-workers. It's not fair for morale between night shift and day shift to be torn down because of a few offenders. Yes, they know.

How is this handeled in your unit?

Do you mean that these nurses take naps outside of their allotted break time? Because on my unit, most of us DO take naps, but they are ALWAYS during our breaktimes (1 hr), and we all have "buddies" who cover us during our break and vice versa. It's very organized this way, and lets everyone (usually, unless all hell is breaking loose) have their breaks, which are sooo important during a 12 hr shift. But ya'll know that!

Specializes in Burn ICU, Psych, PACU.

Hi:

I work 12.5 to 13 hr (sometimes turns into 14 hour) shifts at night and I'm too busy to sleep (or nap or whatever word you want to use for unconsciousness). Breaks, lunch? You mean I'm supposed to get breaks and a lunch? I'm going to check into that...

P.S. I have never seen any of my co-workers even close to sleeping or napping...

Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I have been called for an emergency night shift (late in the day, "Please can you work tonight"). I'll say yes, but tell them up front I'll need a nap. That isn't a problem if they're desparate!!

I'll just go into the parent room for 30min to an hour, they'll come and get me if there is a problem, adn they don't mind. They are happy they are not working short!

But I think that's a different situation than what you're describing, which is a chronic abuse thing. I'd suggest taking that up the chain a bit. If they are willing to tolerate it, than you're stuck.

Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.
When I worked in a hospital, I worked in the ER either 1900-0700 or 1500-0300. If we had time to sleep, management would have thought we had too much staff - lol. Absolutely no time to sleep. I have also worked in adult ICU on nights and again - no time to sleep.

IMHO - folks that sleep at work, don't need a job that bad! And...if it was my child or family member they were responsible for, they could get out nursing too.

Interesting that it's OK for docs in the ED to sleep. Their job is so much harder, though, poor things are probably exhausted from all the stress.

If it's on your break, then I guess it shouldn't be a problem, so long as you don't oversleep or need to be woken up. Your break time should be yours.

Specializes in NICU, ER/Trauma.

the only person I work with on my unit that actually pulls up a chair and takes an actual nap ON THE UNIT is my assistant night manager. Annoys me to no end that she has no problem with it, especially while others are running their rear ends off. And you KNOW if someone else did the same thing, their job would be history.

I have no problem with closing your eyes in the break room on break, but the sleeping ON THE UNIT in front of everyone is rude, disrespectful and unsafe.

Specializes in Peds.

I see no problem with a nap on your break(especially if you work 12.5or 13 hrs) as long as your patients are covered and you come back on time so everyone else as the same opportunity and you don't do it at the desk. We don't get paid for our breaks and even when we don't take them we don't get paid for that time which is more often than not the case. Those of us who work nights don't usually get proper rest during the day for any number of reasons, well rested people are less prone to mistakes and more alert so a little rest might be life saving to that nurse's patients and cost effective to the hospital in terms of avoiding errors and lawsuits.

Specializes in Peds Cardiology,Peds Neuro,Pedi ER,PICU, IV Jedi.

I have to agree with pierce on this one. As night shifters, our bodies are fighting the natural sleep cycle every week...and it doesn't matter who you are, it affects you. Thos of you who work during the day and sleep at night like "NORMAL" people don't really know how hard it can be.

I didn't realize how much so until this past summer, when I went on vacation for 12 days to see family in Virginia. I got to sleep at normal hours and was MUCH BETTER RESTED for the duration of the vacation. When I came back it was a HUGE adjustment to go back to working 7-7. Ugh!!

As other posters said...it may be just that the eyes are closed, but I can hear you making fun of me.

vamedic4

Specializes in NICU.

I am actually much more rested working night shift than I ever was on days. I'm sooooooooo not a day person and waking up early makes me cranky :)

Specializes in Obs and NICU.

We had some sleepers where I work..note "had". They all got fired.

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