Night Shifters: Do you sleep?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I work on a med-surg floor on nights. I have seen almost every single nurse there hunched over and asleep at one time or another. Some even take blankets from the blanket warmer and get a little too cozy! Sometimes it's so slow that I can't really blame them. I also see their heads bobbing back and forth. So, just curious, do any of you fall asleep on the job? I'm still new so I'm afraid to, but man, some times I wish I did!

Until I got in my car and tried to make the 45 minute drive home. I was so exhausted I sometimes thought I would have to pull over on the side of the road. I'd have to blast the stereo or sing to stay awake.

I have worked nights for a year and it's been difficult to get an adequate amount of sleep. I don't sleep before my first shift after a few days off, so that first day is always brutal. I don't sleep at work but find it hard to keep my eyes open at times. One time I was really sick at work and a coworker covered my patients so I could take a nap, which was a huge help. My coworkers dont usually take naps, but once in a while someone will nod off in the break room. Usually it is too busy.

I remember one instance driving home during a rainstorm and I was so tired my eyes closed and I almost ran off the road. It was really scary. A few times I have pulled over at a park and ride to take a quick nap. I just don't think I am cut out for night shift.

My new job is going to be day shift, and I can't wait to finally sleep at night! :nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac, Med-Surg, ICU.

You know, the weird thing is that I occasionally nod off sitting at the nurses station and my charge has said it was ok for me to lay my head down in the break room and "catch 30 winks". This is, of course, on really slow nights. But once I get back to the break room, I can't sleep! :banghead:

I don't think there is anything wrong with a nap if it is on your break. Night shift is hard. And I know of two people this year who worked nights at my hospital and died in car wrecks going home! :eek:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

I drive 1hr 15min to work. I would be dead on the side of the road if I did not take a break.

IMHO, you should be able to do what you want on your unpaid break.

I never used to have a break, but then had 2 near misses driving home, once rolled back and actually hit a van behind me :eek:because I fell asleep at the lights. Another time, almost went straight into the back of another vehicle because I didn't realise he was slowing down. Nobody was hurt but it could have been different. After that, I take my break too, although some nights are too busy to have a break.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work as a tech on a neuro floor and I usually take a nap on my break time. Our nurses though don't really sleep at all during the night. Most of the techs don't take naps because they can't get up, but I can sleep anywhere & feel so run down if I don't get a nap. Where we are we do 12 hour shifts, so our nurses don't mind what we do during our break time as long as it is off the floor (in the break room, lounge etc.) Our nursing supervisors also know we sleep, but in the non-patient areas. Night shift is hard work & most of us don't get proper rest during the day because we are in school or with our children etc., so to me if you are able to get some sleep in & you can do so with your patients covered on your break time, who really should judge?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I worked nights on a med surg floor and in the ICU. On the med surg floor yeah some of the nurses did the head bobbing and a couple would sleep on their break as long as their patients were covered. I don't see anything wrong with taking a nap on your break. You are not being paid for the break and as long as the patients are covered snore away. Now in the ICU that was a different story. NO one would take a sleep break. First of all it was way too loud and even if it was slow we had 24 hour visiting so a family member could walk in any minute. We had a gourmet coffee machine and we would just load up on mochacinos and stuff like that. Or good ole water will keep you awake anytime if we got too wired from all of the coffee drinks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

I worked nights for over 25 yrs. It truly was my preferred shift. I retired in 2005 and I just can't get used to sleeping at night. I have tried and tried. So no I never fell asleep at night. I fall asleep around 1000 AM and the hardest I sleep is between 10 and 400PM.

I guess some are just larks and others like me are night owls.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

I sleep very well in the daytime during my worknights in a row. On my off days, sleep is erratic, comes in 5 hour sprints, and I feel very "off." So if I can't get my routine straight the day before working several nights in a row, I can get sleepy the first night back working, if it is slow. We do things to avoid falling out: bathe everybody, clean up, doublecheck is the side work done, help other units if needed, crosswords, watch the news, etc. We'd like to say we do our silly continuing ed classes online but I can NOT do that more than once a month as they put me right to sleep.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

edited

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work midnights and sleep on my lunch most times. At our facility you can lose your job if you get caught sleeping so I try my hardest not to doze while I"m on the clock. Since I have a desk job though, it DOES happen. Just gotta remember to say Amen if you get caught.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

We get 2 15-min breaks and 1 30-min break in a 12hr shift. Most of the time we don't have time to take anything but the 30min one for lunch, if we get that. Last night in the nursery I sat outside the door of the nursery and ate my dinner in about 20 min and that was it as far as breaks go.

On the floor, however, I have seen some nurses go in the break room on their breaks, cut the lights off and nap. I'm cool with that as long as their patients are taken care of and there is no crisis on the floor. I can't do it because if I did, I'd be terrified of not waking up in time.

One time I did tell my charge nurse where I was going, go in an empty room (we were lucky enough to have them) with the lights out and just close my eyes. It was more a need to have some peace than some sleep, though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have been working for a month on night shift in a LTC facility and I have absolutely no time to sleep, I don't even usually take a break. There is always something to do.:p

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, subacute CNA.

I haven't fallen asleep yet. But come 4 am, if it's not busy I will put my head down for 15 minutes or so to rest my body- and it actually helps. I'd never doze- I need to be alert and able to respond right away if anything happens.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment