Anyone allowed to nap on their breaks?

Nurses Safety

Published

When I did 7a-7p on a Tele floor and all was well, the staff would use their breaks to REM for about half in hour in the visitors lounge. We used that room because it was difficult for anyone to see in it if they walked by (our supervisor). We would get written up if we napped on our own time.

Is anyone allowed to nap? Many companies encourage it in the corporate world. Fire stations have beds for the firefighters.Why can't we use our own time to rest our brains? Doesn't it promote patient safety?

I work night shifts and it's largely admitted that those who wants to sleep can do so during their break time. Our chief-nurse has even bought two Lay-Z-Boys for our staff room, paid with money from the budget unit. We also take unoccupied stretchers (we don't use them at night) or beds, in unoccupied rooms to take a nap. Napping during night shifts is sometimes essential to stay alert 'til morning!!

;)

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

break? what break?

kelly:rolleyes:

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I work nights 7p to 7a and most of us use our lunch break to take a nap. When it's "quiet", we sometimes give each other an extra 15 minutes. It's just a given that when it's "busy", we'll have the occasional shift without a break.

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I work 7p-7a and it was like an unwritten law that if you sleep you didn't get caught. The good thing on our floor we covered each other so there was no back stabbing efforts. I don't understand some facilities telling you that you cannot sleep on your time. Just as long as you wake up on time no problem. I feel it would be safer. I work in the NICU very tired by 3am. If I get just a 30 minute nap I am really refreshed and ready to finish the shift off. :eek:

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The only time that I ever took naps on my breaks was when I was a Nursing Aide, and had NO responsibility like I do as an RN. I could sleep for about 25 minutes and wake up in time to go back, feeling slightly better. But part of that was situational at the time. I wouldn't reccomend sleeping on the job at all. But that is me.

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You get a break? WOW!!

Seriously though, I think if your lunch time is unpaid, you can pretty much do what you please. At the facility where I work, our 2 15 minute breaks are paid, but our 1/2 lunch is not. So, if I am not being paid its MY time, not theirs. I personally I am one of those people who cannot take a 30 minute nap without feeling worse. I would need a minuium of an hour to feel refreshed!! But, hey I do know some people who can take a 15 minute nap and be ready to take on the world!!

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WOW! I can't believe you guys get in trouble for sleeping. I work on L&D at a military hospital on the night shift and it is slow most of the time. We only have about 20-30 deliveries per month so we have alot of downtime. We look out for each other. If someone wants to sleep, someone else will just stay at the desk to answer the phones. If you don't have any patients I don't see what the big deal is. Even if you do have patients, someone should look out for you. I wouldn't want a worn out nurse taking care of me.

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Be careful to check your hospital policies regarding sleeping on duty, your break times, extended lunch times, documentation of time off the unit, responsible persons who are accountable for your patients while off unit, etc. Get the facts from your hospital. Also check your Board of Nursing regulations regarding impairment on duty. Sleeping in some states is tantamount to impairment while on duty and one can lose a license as a result.

best to all

chas

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It just amazes me how nurses are expected to work like, as I call it, HUMAN DOGS. Even dogs take time out and EAT and PEE! I always feel if I take a "quick" lunch,I will find one or all of my patients crashing,on the floor, or dead.:eek:

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In our facility we have an hour break that includes 30 mins lunch and 15 mins each coffee break. They paid half an hour and other half an hour is not. We are allowed to go out the building for the half an hour that is not paid. Were happy for that. But a lot of the staff abused it and now they won't allow. We have to punch out and puch in everytime we go for our break. Every one is not happy about this. You're not even allowed to speak on your oun language on your breaktime. But we cant do anything this is the policy of the facility.

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I work the night shift and it really varies. My fulltime job we are allowed to take a nap. The lounge is set up for anyone to kick their feet up and catch a couple of zzzzz's, afterall what is a LOUNGE for? My registry job I can't. I feel some hospitals act more like a dictator than anything else. I personally feel what you do on your break "off the clock", is you god given right, just as long as you return in the proper time. If people abuse it punish those individuals don't make other responsible people pay for it.:mad:

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I work in a doctor's office.

I guess the doctor was questioning what people put on their time cards so she went to the punch clock.

we had to punch in and out which seemed fair to me.

then the doctor found out that the overtime we were working was "documented" and the fact that she only pays people 40 hours regardless of overtime and the fact that even if we did not take a lunch they deduct a half hour anyway. I guess she decided to change back to writting our time cards again.

I thought it was illegal for her to alter our times, but evidently it is harder to prove in handwriting than the time clock.

we are not allowed to sleep on breaks either.

Kind of like a dictatorship, but not completely.

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