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?

We were told that breaks are a bemefit, not a requirement.

i think it is required by law that 1/2 hour nonpaid break be given for anything ovber 5 hours working - maybe its 4 hours - im not positive - as for the "mini breaks folks like to take - if its non union it is NOT required for them to give them and if you have work to do its not mandatory for them to allow the 15 min breaks - however it is my understanding that most unions have it in thier contracts that the 15 min breaks ARE mandatory for tyhe facility to give them.

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Specializes in NICU.

I'm in a class of 8 new grads. We have 40 weeks of orientation and are in our 4th week in the NICU. One of my peers, her preceptor leaves her alone with their assignment and sleeps. Not only rude and unprofessional, but unsafe and embarrassing!!!!!!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, MS, ICU.

SLEEP! Are you kidding me? I barely have time to use the bathroom, and eat let alone sleep! I think my head would explode if I caught someone sleeping...Who are these people? How can they possibly think this okay? WOW!! This is completely amazing to me. The ICU that I work in does not have any place that someone could possibly curl up and sleep in...That is just crazy!

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i think it is required by law that 1/2 hour nonpaid break be given for anything ovber 5 hours working - maybe its 4 hours - im not positive - as for the "mini breaks folks like to take - if its non union it is NOT required for them to give them and if you have work to do its not mandatory for them to allow the 15 min breaks - however it is my understanding that most unions have it in thier contracts that the 15 min breaks ARE mandatory for tyhe facility to give them.

I believe it's 15 mins per 4 hour time worked...so 30min break, and 2 - 15 mins breaks...we take our break on nights all at once ussually 45 mins to an hour depending on the unit.

BTW: It seems that many of you are upset that some hospitals treat their nurses like human beings or something. I'm having a difficult time why some of you are upset that a nurse would nap on their break time....this is absolutely alright and the best for your pts.

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I've read different research on night shift workers and napping. Several studies show that you get a much safer nurse if you allow them to sleep during night shift. Obviously as their break. The last place I traveled to, encouraged naps. It was an ICU, and each person relievedtheir counter part. These naps would be 45 minutes. I couldn't believe it.

Why?

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SLEEP! Are you kidding me? I barely have time to use the bathroom, and eat let alone sleep! I think my head would explode if I caught someone sleeping...Who are these people? How can they possibly think this okay? WOW!! This is completely amazing to me. The ICU that I work in does not have any place that someone could possibly curl up and sleep in...That is just crazy!

Glad I don't have to work with you...honestly! What you do on your break is up to you...and part of me as I've said wonders why insted of blasting fellow nurses who are treated right...why insted are you not insisting that you are treated correctly?

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Specializes in Geriatrics, MS, ICU.
Glad I don't have to work with you...honestly! What you do on your break is up to you...and part of me as I've said wonders why insted of blasting fellow nurses who are treated right...why insted are you not insisting that you are treated correctly?

I would never Blast someone for napping on their break. What I was talking about was a nurse who naps when not on break. Why would I blast someone for napping on their break? Why do you think that I am not treated right? And, why do you think that working with me is bad? We all work as a well oiled team in my ICU. We are a Trauma Center and the level of care is pretty intense...All I was stating that there is barely time to eat and relax...there is not time to sleep. Sorry if you feel that I am insensitive, and sorry that you feel that I am not a person who cares about her fellow workers.

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Specializes in NICU.
Glad I don't have to work with you...honestly! What you do on your break is up to you...and part of me as I've said wonders why insted of blasting fellow nurses who are treated right...why insted are you not insisting that you are treated correctly?

I agree. Honestly, I'd rather have a nurse taking care of me that takes time to take a break and rest/sleep, rather than one that doesn't even take a few minutes to take a break and go to the bathroom.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, MS, ICU.
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?

If you read the original post it is implying that nurses are napping during their shift. NOT on break! I was simply responding to that fact. If a nurse has a 45 minute break I think it is great that he/she can nap. I personally cannot because I need complete quiet and darkness in order to fall asleep. I was only responding to the offenders. Why you seem to think I am such a terrible person is beyond me. I get along great with my co-workers and we all work incredibly well together. You seem to be taking this completely out of context. I am not unsafe and I am not difficult to work with. I cover people all of the time during my shift so that they can use the bathroom or eat something or run to the credit union or whatever...Why is it that you think I am such a terrible person? I work in a trauma center, and therefore we are extremely busy. Breaks are sometimes not an easy thing to take. I am not alone with this thought. We all try to help each other but the simple fact is that there is a shortage and at times we are just way to busy to stop and take a 45 minute break. We get 1/2 hour for lunch/dinner and two 15 minute breaks in between. They do not allow us to take all of our breaks combined.

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Specializes in NICU.
If you read the original post it is implying that nurses are napping during their shift. NOT on break! I was simply responding to that fact. If a nurse has a 45 minute break I think it is great that he/she can nap. I personally cannot because I need complete quiet and darkness in order to fall asleep. I was only responding to the offenders. Why you seem to think I am such a terrible person is beyond me. I get along great with my co-workers and we all work incredibly well together. You seem to be taking this completely out of context. I am not unsafe and I am not difficult to work with. I cover people all of the time during my shift so that they can use the bathroom or eat something or run to the credit union or whatever...Why is it that you think I am such a terrible person? I work in a trauma center, and therefore we are extremely busy. Breaks are sometimes not an easy thing to take. I am not alone with this thought. We all try to help each other but the simple fact is that there is a shortage and at times we are just way to busy to stop and take a 45 minute break. We get 1/2 hour for lunch/dinner and two 15 minute breaks in between. They do not allow us to take all of our breaks combined.

I think there was just a bit of confusion. Somewhere along this thread it went from talking about nurses sleeping DURING their shifts, to nurses sleeping on their breaks. We've pretty much agreed that the former is of course unacceptable, but the latter is fine.

I find that when a thread has gotten pretty long (this one is already at six pages) and you're writing a reply to the original poster or someone from the beginning of the thread, it's best to quote that early post so people know what exactly you're replying to. When threads grow, the topic starts to evolve over time, and quite often it gets confusing. Just a tip for everybody!

As far as breaks go...

Maybe I'm assuming too much, but it seems like NICU nurses tend to get their breaks more often than nurses from other specialties. I personally think it has a lot to do with the fact that there are so many nurses working in such a small space, as many of our units are open and you can be working side-by-side with a half dozen nurses at any given time. When there are that many people around, it's a lot easier to take a break because you take turns covering each other's patients. It's just a very flexible environment, plus these babies tend to be busy for an hour or so when their vitals and treatments are due, then we let them rest for several hours and don't touch them at all, so there is often downtime in which we are easily able to take breaks. It's just a different environment. The nurses I work with who used to work in adult ICU say it's much different than what they were used to.

Dare I say we're spoiled? :rolleyes:

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I would never Blast someone for napping on their break. What I was talking about was a nurse who naps when not on break. Why would I blast someone for napping on their break? Why do you think that I am not treated right? And, why do you think that working with me is bad? We all work as a well oiled team in my ICU. We are a Trauma Center and the level of care is pretty intense...All I was stating that there is barely time to eat and relax...there is not time to sleep. Sorry if you feel that I am insensitive, and sorry that you feel that I am not a person who cares about her fellow workers.

I am sorry....I obviously misunderstood...It did sound the other way if you'd re-read your post. You would agree wouldn't you that IF you felt the other way you would not be treated right....see what I"m saying. I came off insensitive also....I'm sure you're a swell nurse! I just don't like to see my fellow nurses being taken advantage of thinking it is OK not to be give a break...and it sounds like many are in that situation.

Peace?

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I agree. Honestly, I'd rather have a nurse taking care of me that takes time to take a break and rest/sleep, rather than one that doesn't even take a few minutes to take a break and go to the bathroom.

Thanks for understanding what I am trying to say. Gosh nurses work so hard; and Need to take time away even on the worst nights...it clears your head.

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