No sleep= calling out?

Rabid Response · Aug 1, 2009

I would have to quit working altogether if I did that. I usually can't sleep at all during the day before my first night back at work. It's a miracle if I can even nap for an hour. By the end of my shift I have been awake for 24+ hours sometimes. I go home and sleep for a whole 8, but then the next two days I will only be able to sleep 4 or 5 hours before my shift starts. It's not ideal, and I won't pretend that I'm as sharp as I would be if I got 8 hours of sleep each day, but I have no choice about what shift I work right now. When I finally get a day shift I think my IQ will rise 20 points.

tinderbox · Aug 1, 2009

OP here...

It's happened a few times before. I've gone into work twice on 3-4 hrs of sleep, and, even if I wasn't technically "sick", I definitely felt like it. All I could do was go through the motions, and I didn't have anything left in me for any kind of emotional/psychosocial support to my patients. I felt HORRIBLE, and the 45 minute commute back home afterwards felt interminable.

Well, I didn't fall asleep last night till around after 3am. I usually take a Benadryl before my first day on, but I didn't last night to see if I could fall asleep naturally. The thing is, I have NO problems falling asleep if I don't have to work the next day. I guess I will ALWAYS be taking a Benadryl before a shift, no more trial and error. A couple of times, even Benadryl has failed me, though. It's no secret that I hate my job and feel anxiety and depressed before I have to go back to work, and yes, I am already in the midst of looking for another position-- away, far farrr away from the bedside.

I have to admit- it is truly scary to see how many nurses are working on less than 6hrs of sleep. :confused:

StrwbryblndRN · Aug 1, 2009

As a NOC nurse (and love it) I would not function on 3-4 hours and would call in sick. Everyone has there limits. A close friend (nurse also) can get 3-4 and does wonderful. She is a favored nurse who does her job well.

If you know who could not do it then you can't. Glad you could recognize when not to go in. It happens. But if it is an ongoing problem you may want to try and figure out how to fix it. Just a thought.

emnicams · Aug 1, 2009

I used to use Benadryl as well, unfortunately I found that I easily built a tolerance to it.

If the root of the problem is anxiety, what about an anti-anxiety like alprazolam? I take a half of 0.5 mg when I have trouble getting to sleep, because it's usually anxiety-related. I tried Lunesta and Ambien without success, but the alprazolam really helps.

Hope you can get some relief soon. I know how stressful insomnia can be.

jdub3 · Aug 1, 2009

Nope, and I would not tell my supervisor of this. Termination....

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 1, 2009

i guess it would depend upon a number of factors, including the reason i hadn't slept. if it was because i was having too much fun to sleep, i'd suck it up and go in. i've done that hundreds of times. if it was because i spent the last 12 hours in the er with a family member, because my hot water heater exploded and i was stuck at home with an incredible mess, or because i was nursing a sick dog all night, i'd consider calling in. but 3-4 hours for one day in a row is one thing -- 3 hours of sleep for a week is another.

ayla2004, ASN, RN · Aug 1, 2009

ive had insmonia on and off for years and sometimes i don't sleep[ that well say about once a week reguialry. if i was to call in sick every time i would be out of a job more than 3 absents and we geta capability review by hr.

my sleeping shelude is made harder by changing shifts but in the uk we don't have fixed shifts so i can do am 7.30-3.30pm one day then 1.00pm-9.00pm and them back to 7.30am starts.

i've found that uif i nap fot 1-2 hours and wake up at 1am sometimes i'm up for the day as 3=4 hours sleep only makes me feel tired.