sleep

BadBird, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2003

I worked at one facility where a certain nurse was know for falling asleep, not answering her call lights, slacking off terrible, and it was up to the rest of us to take care of our patients and hers. It gets old really fast. If I work a 12 hr. night shift I make sure that I get plenty of sleep before, I don't stay up when I go home if I know that I am working another shift. It is not fair to expect the rest of the staff to pick up your slack. Now since we are not paid for our dinner and if you want to sleep then that is none of my business but when it turns into 2 hrs and I have to watch your patients too then it is. If you can't handle the rotation of the shifts then find another job, you are endangering your patients lives and dumping your work on your coworkers.

Disablednurse · Apr 7, 2003

I totally agree with you badbird. What if a patient should get up and wander outside on the unit of the nurse that is sleeping. What kind of answers is this nurse going to give to the supervisors, to the patients family? If you have a problem and cannot stay awake, find a job with fewer hours or a job where they do not mind if you sleep. In your job orientation, what do the rules say about sleeping on the job. Most places automatically fire you, no questions asked. You are not only putting your patients at risk, you are putting your co-workers in a hard place, because they do not want to report you. Yet if it is found out that they knew you were sleeping, they could get in trouble. You just do not sleep on the job!!!!

gwenith, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2003

We are entitled to two ten minute breaks and 1/2 hour break each shift on night duty many nurses take that as one break especially in ICU. Since we relieve each other for breaks anyway and that person is not there during the break whether they sleep or not many do have "power naps" and if this helps get tehm through the night then OK. Sleeping on duty though is different and not to be tolerated.

fergus51 · Apr 8, 2003

No one thinks neglecting patients is good, but as far as I am concerned if a nurse is on her break she can do whatever the he!! she wants. My breaks are my time and I either take them or get paid for them. People slack off on days too, they are just lazy. It's about work ethic, not what people do on their breaks.

night owl · Apr 8, 2003

Originally posted by jewelcutt
hopefull I get a day position soon!

So do your patients! So why did you take a job knowing you hate rotation and hate nights and get physically ill working them??? Where is your work ethics? Your sleeping could harm or kill them. It's called negligence and you'll lose your license. If you don't like to work nights, by all means get a new job. This one obviously isn't for you. Your patients will appreciate you for it more than anything else you've ever done for them and so will your co-workers.

How about letting your patients know you're going to take a break. You can tell them, "Listen, I don't like working these hours so for the next hour or so, I'm going to go take a nap. If you need anything, I won't be available so don't ring the call bell for me. If you have chest pain, you're on your own. If you don't feel good, you're on your own. You may even have to try and breathe on your own. Hold all your needs until I wake up... I'll let you know when I'm awake again. Oh, and I hope I don't get caught" In reality that is exactly what you're saying to them. I 'm sure glad I don't work with you because I'd have to rat on you, I wouldn't want the responsibility of your patients and mine while you sleep away. I just hope I'm never one of your patients in dire need because if I was and survived then found out you were sleeping, I'd be your worst nightmare and daymare!

What if the nurses covering for you were busy and your patient is starting to circle the drain and can't use the call bell...Here's a clue...You need another job preferably not in nursing where people's lives depend on yours!

fergus51 · Apr 8, 2003

For God Sakes get off the high horse. She said she naps on her breaks when her patients are covered by another nurse and there is a phone if she is needed in an emergency. The hystrionics are really not called for, unless you think we should never have any breaks at all.

night owl · Apr 8, 2003

Theatrics?? I hardly think so. It sure is possible a pt can go bad while other pts are occupied with other staff members...IF you know you're working nights........in critical care no less, I would think you'd have an obligation to make sure you get enough sleep before you go on duty. If I caught her, she wouldn't have to worry about sleeping on nights any more. Here's some acting.....time to go job hunting......A hunting she will go, a hunting she will go. Hi- ho the dairy-o, a hunting she will go!

tigger2sassy · Apr 8, 2003

well said night owl-- i think i'd rather have you for a nurse-- i feel exactly the same way about staff sleeping on the job-- i work nocs and i get tired and sleepy too-- but i have a fear of getting caught if i fell asleep-- never know who might have a camera

fergus51 · Apr 8, 2003

Yes, theatrics. How is this any different than a nurse reading a magazine in the breakroom or gabbing on the phone or leaving the floor to go to the cafeteria? Have you never left the floor on any of your breaks? I must confess, I have (GASP!) gone to buy a pop from the vending machine before! Report me to the BON if you must, I am a horrible nurse.... She is in a place where her colleagues can reach her if a patient needs her and as long as management thinks it's safe for us to take breaks I could care less what you do with yours.

JillRene · Apr 8, 2003

Well Said Fergus51!!!!! I've worked in hospitals where Nurses are permitted to do what they want on their breaks including sleep. It's not like she's asking a CNA to watch her patients, a licensed nurse is covering. Are you saying Night Owl that if I am watching your patients I'm not competent enough to make sure they are doing alright?? That's why we give each other a short report before going on break. That's why we do rounds, unless of course you don't do those things, then yes I can see that there may be a problem. If a pt is crashing I doubt that a Nurse would be going on break to begin with.

JMP · Apr 9, 2003

Originally posted by night owl
Theatrics?? I hardly think so. It sure is possible a pt can go bad while other pts are occupied with other staff members...IF you know you're working nights........in critical care no less, I would think you'd have an obligation to make sure you get enough sleep before you go on duty. If I caught her, she wouldn't have to worry about sleeping on nights any more. Here's some acting.....time to go job hunting......A hunting she will go, a hunting she will go. Hi- ho the dairy-o, a hunting she will go! [
WTF??????!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you for real??????
When ANYONE is on ANY kind of break- it means that .... A BREAK from patients and patient care.
Nursing is a 24 hour a day process. IT never ends. We ( at my facility) work 12 hour rotating shifts. We cover each other for breaks.
On days we take breaks. On nights we take breaks.
Some people eat, smoke, talk, sleep, whatever. AS LONG AS THEY COME BACK AT THE APPOINTED TIME....I don't give a rat's asz where they have been. Or what they have been doing.
OH yah, I work in ICU. And you know what? Just like Fergus, I too have gone to the vending machines, walked around the hospital and FROM TIME TO TIME shut my eyes in the break room!!!!!!!!!
What yah gonna do about it???
Get real.