Night shift and Sleeping

Psychtrish39, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

This is a spinoff thread from the thread about the nurse getting caught sleeping. I have always wondered if everyone stays awake on night shift (RN Wise). I am a CNA (getting my BSN in May) and every NURSING HOME I have worked in, workers have slept between rounds mostly CNAs but some nurses (LPNs). I have a big fear that I will end up falling asleep during night shift in the hospital and was wondering what keeps night shift nurses up at night??? Is it an easy feat or does it require a bunch of coffee and willpower???

Oh my goodness no I have worked in long term care off and on many years and neither I or the CNAs I worked with ever slept. For one thing you are too busy with PRNs, tube feeding line and bag changes, some wound care (creams) and such when the CNAs do their rounds every 2 hours we never went to sleep besides as long as I have been a nurse falling asleep was immediate termination. The worst part of the night when I felt so tired was at 4:30 am thats when it would hit me I would go outside get some fresh air come back in, and start the med run for 0600 with 45 residents it took awhile . :)

My very first nursing job was in telemetry and it was nights and we were too busy there also I had the nicest preceptor and she was an older nurse a wonderful smart lady and excellent nurse and one night she fell asleep this was after I had transferred to a SNU day shift job because of my kids that a fellow co-worker reported her for falling asleep and she was terminated after I think being there 25 years. Night shift is hard on your body and I can't say I am a night owl but you won't fall asleep as long as you keep busy and I do all night long there is plenty of busy work both nursing tasks and other tasks that night shift is required to do such as calibrate glucometers, refrigerator temps, etc. :nurse:

Psychtrish39, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?!?!?! I have never heard of night shifters getting to sleep on the job. I work on a cardiac step down unit and we are as busy if not busier than day shift. Now I understand why everyone thinks night shift is lazy, at first I didn't get it, but if there are nurses out there that actually have time to sleep... I'm just appalled to be honest. I just don't know what else to say. I hope potential RNs out there aren't reading these posts and thinking for one second that night shift is some how easier and you may even get to sleep and get paid. IT'S NOT TRUE!!! Nursing is a 24 hour job and it's hard work night or day!!!

Mattie,

I agree, I have never even heard of employees ever doing it in long term care either I have worked for about 4 or my 8 years in LTC. It just isnt done and I honestly havent seen it. I did have a night shift job in psych where my MHTs would nap on the break of 30 minutes which I felt was their business but I never would even on breaks . I felt like the nurse shouldnt no matter what. I admit I get sick physically more working night shift but I have never fell asleep too busy hospital or LTC work or psychiatric care....

Isabelle49 · Mar 23, 2011

Night shift is pure hell on my body. I did it for 14 years and never felt well. I would drive home seeing double. I would be tachycardic about 2 am and have sob and when I awoke in the after noon I would have a headache and the shakes. It's not a normal thing for the body. You'll have to sleep or not, the best you can during the day.

My suggestions: Protein snacks on the job, no coffee after 3 am, wear dark sunglasses on the way home, the sun tricks the body into thinking you should be awake, 'black out' shades in your bedroom and no phone to wake you up.

I worked with a resp therapist who only worked night shift and she lived the same schedule when she was off - up all night and slept during the day.

Bobbkat · Mar 23, 2011

I have never fallen asleep on nights. I work in a hospital. We have one PCA on nights that is notorius for sleeping in the break room. It's obnoxious. She comes to work, does close to nothing, then sleeps in the breakroom for a few hours. We have complained and complained to management and they do NOTHING. It really, really irks me that I have to fight to stay awake, but it is apparently okay for her to sleep.

dankimal · Mar 23, 2011

Not sure if anyone has seen this, but I read in AJN a few years back (I believe in 2008) that a OH hospital was piloting a system that allowed for RN working nights to sleep in the on call room prn using a similar "buddy system" already mentioned.

BrookeeLou_RN · Mar 23, 2011

If hospital or facility allows it,, then it is fine but in general it is grounds for termination and I feel it should be..again who would sleep on day shift and get away with it????

Giveheart · Mar 25, 2011

I don't sleep on nights. I'm too busy, and, as one RN, I have a responsibility to stay awake. I'm paid to work, not to sleep IMO.

But if you are on your break, whether it is day shift or night, it should be no ones business what you are doing especially if no one is paying for your break IMO. And, studies have shown that people while at work who take naps actually perform better. Why would you enforce someone to be wide awake for a 12 hour night shift when your body naturally wants to shut down? And, if you are the kind of person who prefers to stay awake then do that. Another example...just because I choose to get a "nurses bladder" (Nurses who don't have time to void because they are too busy"), does not make me a better nurse or one who is more dedicated. Your health comes first!

If you were hired to do straight nights, your body can get used to it. But my full time schedule requires me to switch every 2 weeks from days to nights! Do you know how harmful that it to your body? Do you think I chose nursing as a self sacrifice?

caliotter3 · Mar 25, 2011

Not sure if anyone has seen this, but I read in AJN a few years back (I believe in 2008) that a OH hospital was piloting a system that allowed for RN working nights to sleep in the on call room prn using a similar "buddy system" already mentioned.

At a LTC facility where I worked, the CNAs combined their breaks and took turns napping if they desired. Everyone except one, made this system work by not coming back from breaks late or otherwise not cooperating. The nurses liked that the call lights were answered, the job was done, and everyone was responsible. I see no reason why the licensed nurses could not do the same to cover for each other's assignment, particularly when one nurse would sleep through her entire shift anyway. Spread the rest.

Giveheart · Mar 25, 2011

ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME?!?!?! I have never heard of night shifters getting to sleep on the job. I work on a cardiac step down unit and we are as busy if not busier than day shift. Now I understand why everyone thinks night shift is lazy, at first I didn't get it, but if there are nurses out there that actually have time to sleep... I'm just appalled to be honest. I just don't know what else to say. I hope potential RNs out there aren't reading these posts and thinking for one second that night shift is some how easier and you may even get to sleep and get paid. IT'S NOT TRUE!!! Nursing is a 24 hour job and it's hard work night or day!!!

Just an another example of nurses not supporting one another. Nursing is not a 24 hour job!!!! Normally 8 to 12 hours and you have breaks! If you could work for 24 hours, you would not be a human being! Do your shifts change from days to nights every 2 weeks like mine? No one is paying for my break. Most people I know sleep during their night breaks, just like doctors, respiratory therapists, cops and many other professions! Stop acting like nurses are "superheroes"! This is the reason why nursing is the highest rated in all professions for BURN OUT!!!

jaznia15 · Mar 25, 2011

Just to clarify I said cnas at nursing homes. Most of the residents are total care so we do rounds every two hours changing incontinence briefs but even with 12 to 20 PTA apiece that doesn't usually take the full two hours.

redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN · Mar 25, 2011

But if you are on your break, whether it is day shift or night, it should be no ones business what you are doing especially if no one is paying for your break IMO. And, studies have shown that people while at work who take naps actually perform better. Why would you enforce someone to be wide awake for a 12 hour night shift when your body naturally wants to shut down? And, if you are the kind of person who prefers to stay awake then do that. Another example...just because I choose to get a "nurses bladder" (Nurses who don't have time to void because they are too busy"), does not make me a better nurse or one who is more dedicated. Your health comes first!
If you were hired to do straight nights, your body can get used to it. But my full time schedule requires me to switch every 2 weeks from days to nights! Do you know how harmful that it to your body? Do you think I chose nursing as a self sacrifice?

Maybe you missed the part where someone was on here bragging about sleeping 2-4 hours a night, himself and his coworkers. Do you have 2-4 hour breaks? I don't even get to use the ones I have.

Giveheart · Mar 25, 2011

Maybe you missed the part where someone was on here bragging about sleeping 2-4 hours a night, himself and his coworkers. Do you have 2-4 hour breaks? I don't even get to use the ones I have.

I have worked in many different areas of nursing and at many facilities. Some medical floors have 2 hours, Emerg 1.5, ICU 3, Psych 3 ...etc. It depends on the floor and the facility. And then there are lots of days and nights where you are so busy, you have none! My current manager refuses to pay overtime even though many nurses are still charting 2 to 3 hours after their shift! Point is, we are not Nightingales out in the trenches! Don't kill yourself over nursing!