Sleeping during your breaktime

Nurses Professionalism

Published

Hello nurses I have a quick question. I've been workin in this nursing home for almost 5months now and the other day after my shift (night shift) I was in the nurses lounge in our floor and just chatting and joking around with the incoming day shift nurse. Then the unit clerk came in and said the previous shift always make a mess in the lounge leaving food and other staff on the table. I said it's not the night shift because we don't really eat in our break we take naps. Unit clerk replied It's not allowed to take nap or sleep when your in the building. I said it's our break time I think were supposed to do whatever we want in our break, in day and evening shift you guys can go out of the building and buy food at night we cant do that there no store open and its not safe. I want to tell the clerk is the nurses lounge only for eating? They are now paying us for our break so I don't think its fair to say what and not we can do on our break time. I'm not sure what the laws regarding breaktime in New York. Let me know what your facilities policy about break time nurses specially if your from new york. Thank you nurses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Most facilities have some sort of policy about sleeping on the job. However I am the master of the 30 minute power nap which occurs during my break. I found a quiet unused Dr's lounge and pop in set my alarm and take a quick snooze. I don't advertise it though - I don't want anyone to discover my spot!

Hppy

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You're off the clock so yeah, you can sleep. Now, I wouldn't advise sleeping on a vacant bed as I'm sure that's off limits (infection control, etc) but putting your head on the table and setting your alarm-I did it all the time on my breaks in retail, which we had to take together on night shift (store closed-prevention of theft). Night shift is a killer. I could sleep with 20 people eating and talking all around me at the table back then!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Unit clerk replied It's not allowed to take nap or sleep when your in the building.

S/he is likely misinformed but enjoys telling others his/her understanding of the rules.

Let it go/not even worth worrying about.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'll do you one better. On night shift in a nursing home, we came up with the idea to combine our two breaks with our lunch break so we could get a good nap. The charge nurses were fine with this set up because nobody took advantage of the situation, everyone came back on time, and rested CNAs worked better. It was a win-win situation for everyone.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

When I worked night shift I always slept during my break, with my charge nurse's blessing. I set an alarm for myself.

I think your clerk was just being a bit ugly.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am so overworked on night shift I can never get a break....most of th times these days I have 21 patients as a CNA and nursing is now inundated with checking meds for the entire 41 patient unit from other shifts and then passing meds etc...we do 3 check adn changes and I have a 1 on 1 I drag around with me all night long who is jumping chair constantly....sometimes I have all 41 patients....Im in my 60's and have one this for many years and somehow cope, but the younger workers are dropping like flies and just walk off or quit....I feel like a modern day slave and am just too exhausted to study for NCLEX or to do anything other than to work and then try and get enough sleep druign day time for night shift....I so wish nurses would get off cell phone and come and hep once in a while...management is so out of touch with reality of what we can and cannot do...I am so tired of pointing out what it is nursing ought to see and doesnt.....cannot wait to die

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I live in NY and we are supposed to take 30 minute breaks for lunch. We dont get any other breaks adn seldom get 30 minute breaks. Some acilitis dont allow sleeping on your break...yuo ned to get in your vehicle adn leave the premises adn sleep adn then return. Just the way it is....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in retired LTC.

In many LTC/NHs it's tough to break away somewhere. I always found the staff dining room to be a pig sty by the time NOC gets in. So the unit break room is usually all there is. Sometimes the unit day room might be OK.

Now for someone to go out to their car for their break ...

Biggest concern is that staff leaving the bldg would cause the facility to be dangerously UNDERstaffed .

And my concern was that I don't like a single woman sitting alone in a parking lot - SAFETY issue. I was always hoping that it was NOT an opportunity for the person to be doing some illicit activity.

I know I can't prevent authorized legal breaks, so it's just an exercise in finding a place & time for staff. They usually manage well enough. Just as long they're not in pt rooms and can be found in an emergency.

There's usually some leeway with CNAs, but for such limited number of nurses it is a difficulty for a nurse to slip away. A 'working' supervisor is not able to be in multiple places, so there's the problem for nurses.

Only thing is that I don't want to see staff 'nesting' or having made themselves into a cocoon.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'll do you one better. On night shift in a nursing home, we came up with the idea to combine our two breaks with our lunch break so we could get a good nap. The charge nurses were fine with this set up because nobody took advantage of the situation, everyone came back on time, and rested CNAs worked better. It was a win-win situation for everyone.

We do the samething at one of my job floors. Especially if I am in charge, I will let everyone take that hour break and then if everyone gets it done and agrees, they can take additional breaks if it doesnt interfere with patient care. BUT we cant do it if we work with people who always have a problem with everything!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

it is comments like your unit clerk made that causes riffs between shifts. next time don't say anything she was venting and not very tactful. you let the cat out of the bag and put a target on your back and put yourself in a bad position with your own shift. sleeping on your break is none of the day shifts business. go directly to your manager and tell her the facts. do not defend your position but just the facts, ask her or his opinion then act accordingly.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment