sleep breaks?

gentlegiver, ASN, LPN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

ROFLM@S!!!!!!!!!!!! That will never happen for us, what we do isn't important enough. It's up to us to get the proper amount of sleep on our own time and to stay awake during our shift.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

That would be great, but unfortunately, we are Patient Traffic Controllers.

zahryia, LPN · Apr 17, 2011

This is the problem with nurses. We're always playing the martyr. I see air traffic controller jobs just as important as nurses' jobs. We both have people's lives in our hands.

It is NOT natural to be awake at that time and fully functioning. If there are interventions we can implement to be as functional as possible, then why not?

Vanillanut, DNP, RN, APRN · Apr 17, 2011

I know of this type of thing happening on medical floors (2 hr sleep breaks), albeit unknown to the managers who aren't there at night anyways. In Emerg there is no way we can do this.

Kyrshamarks, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

You think as nurses we have stress? Yeah we may have 6-7 patients lives in our hands at any given time but Air Traffic Controllers have up to thousands of lives in thioer hands at any given time. One mistake by them and they can crash two planes together in the air instantly killing hundreds of people and then when the debris hits the ground it can kill hundresds to thousands of people. That will tire you out that kind of stress. I do not begrudge them their pay or their possibility of getting naps at night. I knew a few ATC's and they looked 20 years older than they really were from the stress. Each one had an ulcer and chain smoked like a chimney to try to keep thier cool. No thanks.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Apr 17, 2011

A colleague of mine told me that in a previous job in a unionized hospital, nap breaks were written into their contracts. THAT would be fantastic.

SummitRN, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

There's an article on this very subject in the latest edition of Critical Care Nurse:

http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/content/31/2/e1.full

Napping During Night Shift: Practices, Preferences, and Perceptions of Critical Care and Emergency Department Nurses

Abstract

Background Nurses working night shifts are at risk for sleep deprivation, which threatens patient and nurse safety. Little nursing research has addressed napping, an effective strategy to improve performance, reduce fatigue, and increase vigilance.

Objective To explore nurses’ perceptions, experiences, barriers, and safety issues related to napping/not napping during night shift.

Methods A convenience sample of critical care nurses working night shift were interviewed to explore demographics, work schedule and environment, and napping/ not napping experiences, perceptions, and barriers. Transcripts were constantly compared, and categories and themes were identified.

Results Participants were 13 critical care nurses with an average of 17 years’ experience. Ten nurses napped regularly; 2 avoided napping because of sleep inertia. The need for and benefits of napping or not during night shift break were linked to patient and nurse safety. Ability to nap was affected by the demands of patient care and safety, staffing needs, and organizational and environmental factors.

Conclusions Nurses identified personal health, safety, and patient care issues supporting the need for a restorative nap during night shift. Barriers to napping exist within the organization/work environment.

NVCW · Apr 17, 2011

I think all shifts should get a siesta break, then maybe those grumpy nurses would not be so grumpy.

grahajas · Apr 17, 2011

My 1st job was a NOC RN in a sub acute facilty. There was a culture of sleeping. I tried to motivate staff with it but in the end I know now resident care suffers and why should I have to pick up the slack so my aides can sleep? I told the facility that I refused to work with aides who worked another job. How did they expect people to work 17hrs a day 5 days a week through in a hour commute there also. Impossible.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

You think as nurses we have stress? Yeah we may have 6-7 patients lives in our hands at any given time but Air Traffic Controllers have up to thousands of lives in thioer hands at any given time. One mistake by them and they can crash two planes together in the air instantly killing hundreds of people and then when the debris hits the ground it can kill hundresds to thousands of people. That will tire you out that kind of stress. I do not begrudge them their pay or their possibility of getting naps at night. I knew a few ATC's and they looked 20 years older than they really were from the stress. Each one had an ulcer and chain smoked like a chimney to try to keep thier cool. No thanks.

I don't begruge them for it, but if you cannot make it though a shift without a 2.5 hour shift, I'm sorry, but you need to consider something else.

ICURNGUY · Apr 17, 2011

After working in a facility without sleep breaks, and then with sleep breaks, I have to say it helps! Granted you don't need 2 1/2 hr, just about 20-30 min. Anything more was too much and your went into REM which makes it difficult to wake and function quickly. It was rediculous at first, but it really did help. I eat on my feet, then take my 30 min break to sleep. Ask any surgeon how a 20 min nap helps.