Sleeping on the job..acceptable or not?

htrn · Jul 16, 2006

Holy Cow!! I've heard stories of this happening many, many years ago from a CNA that is now retired. She told stories of how the RNs would sleep and then ask the aids for updates right before the end of the shift. We occasionnally take a quick 15 minute nap for a break, but only with our co-workers OK and after all the work is done, but to have a culture of sleeping all shift and being ostrasized for balking at that - Holy Cow!!

If this is a travel assignment, is it possible that the 'regulars' feel that since the hospital has brought you in and is paying you so much more than they are making, they should be able to sleep and you could earn your money. Sophmoric, but possible. I would bring it up to your travel agency and see if they recommend writing up the staff or bringing it up to the supervisors.

Good luck.

jmgrn65, RN · Jul 16, 2006

Imho it is NOT ACCEPTABLE TO sleep on the job I always thought that it was grounds for termination. Maybe the right people don't know about it.

dorimar, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2006

oh my gosh. This has been an issue with one nurse on our unit for years. My unit is very busy. Many nights nurses don't get lunch and only get BR break once or twice. Usually these are the nurses who care about their patients and the job they do. There is one nurse, who no matter how busy everyone else may be even if other nurses never gotten a break at all, will leave th floor to nap from 3am to 4am and later. Mind you, SHE already had a lunch break even if no one else did, and she is known for sitting and reading or being on the net all night (never in her patient rooms). The next shift hates to follow her because her patients are always left in a bad state (soiled, uncomfortable, and many times needing emergant intubation or some other immeidate interventions by the oncoming shift). Also to note, the 3am to 4am time slot is one of the busiest times on are unit. Not only do we have to take care of our own at that time, but we are pulled out of our own work to help with HER patietn's CXR, labs, etc.

We have been complaining for years. They started positing the policy all over the unit regarding no sleeping on the job. She keeps saying it's her break. However, we get 1 unpaid half hour break, period. those other 15 min breaks are PAID breaks if you have time to take them. Most of us never get the unpaid half hour. She breaks all night. Finally my nurse manager and night charge left, and the new manager is all over this issue. Thank God!!

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 16, 2006

The hospital that I work weekends in Miami the CNA's on 7p-7a shift get vitals @ midnight then sleep until the 4am rush. Most of the staff is asleep just leaving a few nurses on the floor to answer call lights and do all the work.When I do find the CNA to get them up to do their job so I can do mine they get mad...and the other nurses act weird about me waking them up!!

Is this not a form of neglect? It's not like they can attend to any pt. needs while snoring.

Doing this would have landed me a pink slip, and it's ouotrageous that those people still have jobs, the people doing AND the people allowing it.

travelnurse63 · Jul 16, 2006

I was just wondering if other nurses were dealing with this issue..I think it reflects on the quality of care that patients recieve and is a safety issue as well. I do my "rounds" for @ risk patients on the odd hrs thinking that the CNA's are doing rounds on the even hrs..My thought is that patients are seen hourly. As for the nurse that sleeps,reads or surfs all shift..I refuse to "help" them with there busy work when they have slept most of the shift then have to play catch up.

I have brought the sleeping issue up to many different bosses..I guess with the "shortages" CNA's and some nurses are gold and management can not risk losing them..

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 16, 2006

Well there's STILL a shortage when the ones they have are asleep.

Gabie Baby · Jul 16, 2006

oh my gosh. This has been an issue with one nurse on our unit for years. My unit is very busy. Many nights nurses don't get lunch and only get BR break once or twice. Usually these are the nurses who care about their patients and the job they do. There is one nurse, who no matter how busy everyone else may be even if other nurses never gotten a break at all, will leave th floor to nap from 3am to 4am and later. Mind you, SHE already had a lunch break even if no one else did, and she is known for sitting and reading or being on the net all night (never in her patient rooms). The next shift hates to follow her because her patients are always left in a bad state (soiled, uncomfortable, and many times needing emergant intubation or some other immeidate interventions by the oncoming shift). Also to note, the 3am to 4am time slot is one of the busiest times on are unit. Not only do we have to take care of our own at that time, but we are pulled out of our own work to help with HER patietn's CXR, labs, etc.
We have been complaining for years. They started positing the policy all over the unit regarding no sleeping on the job. She keeps saying it's her break. However, we get 1 unpaid half hour break, period. those other 15 min breaks are PAID breaks if you have time to take them. Most of us never get the unpaid half hour. She breaks all night. Finally my nurse manager and night charge left, and the new manager is all over this issue. Thank God!!

Dorimar, you and the other staff are to blame for not complaining to the proper people, also because you leave your own work to go do hers. This person has nearly killed many patients, she has been stealing time from the employer, she is a disgrace to our profession, and she needs to not only fired but have her license pulled. She's pretty smart, really. She gets paid to sleep while you other idiots do her job and cover for her. Baby, she's laughing all the way to the bank. Could you and your crew come do my work?

I'm talking to you like a Dutch uncle to make a point, not to be mean, Dorimar. You all need to find your courage. You need to let HR know about this nurse. They should be very interested in her grand theft.

catlady, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2006

Dorimar, you and the other staff are to blame for not complaining to the proper people, also because you leave your own work to go do hers. This person has nearly killed many patients, she has been stealing time from the employer, she is a disgrace to our profession, and she needs to not only fired but have her license pulled. She's pretty smart, really. She gets paid to sleep while you other idiots do her job and cover for her. Baby, she's laughing all the way to the bank. Could you and your crew come do my work?
I'm talking to you like a Dutch uncle to make a point, not to be mean, Dorimar. You all need to find your courage. You need to let HR know about this nurse. They should be very interested in her grand theft.

Where did she say she didn't complain? She said they've been complaining about it for years and the managers did nothing. When the patient has a need and the nurse is not there, are you going to ignore the patient's needs?

Dutch uncles and aunts don't call people idiots. Humph (as opposed to the dreaded sheesh).

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 16, 2006

Dorimar, you and the other staff are to blame for not complaining to the proper people, also because you leave your own work to go do hers. This person has nearly killed many patients, she has been stealing time from the employer, she is a disgrace to our profession, and she needs to not only fired but have her license pulled. She's pretty smart, really. She gets paid to sleep while you other idiots do her job and cover for her. Baby, she's laughing all the way to the bank. Could you and your crew come do my work?
I'm talking to you like a Dutch uncle to make a point, not to be mean, Dorimar. You all need to find your courage. You need to let HR know about this nurse. They should be very interested in her grand theft.

Uh, Dorimar's post clearly stated they had complained (for years), yet nothing was done.

The idiot and baby reference was really uncalled for as well. We're supposed to be mature adults, and not just in theory.

Dutch uncle? I know better than to think that a Dutch uncle talks to a total stranger in a ineffective manner of putting someone down and namecalling and then says it's not mean.

Gabie Baby · Jul 16, 2006

I have been a nurse for 18 years, a traveling nurse for the past 5 years. I have worked in many states,recently in Florida. My question is when did it become acceptable to SLEEP on the job? I agree that you should be able to sleep on your breaks but come on..3-4 hours a night!
The hospital that I work weekends in Miami the CNA's on 7p-7a shift get vitals @ midnight then sleep until the 4am rush. Most of the staff is asleep just leaving a few nurses on the floor to answer call lights and do all the work.When I do find the CNA to get them up to do their job so I can do mine they get mad...and the other nurses act weird about me waking them up!!It seems to be everywhere..hospitals,private duty,and nursing homes...
Has anyone noticed this trend or is it just me?

You need to make this problem known RIGHT NOW to the DON, HR, the accrediting body, and the state agency that licenses these nurses and CNA's. This is patient abandonment.

I would not trouble myself to worry if the other nurses "act weird" when you wake the aides up. I would let my aides know, at the start of every shift, that I expect them to be awake and on duty, where I can see them, all shift. Yes, they are to tell me when they need to go to the john, go out to smoke (and BTW that will be exactly 2 15 minute breaks or whatever your state law calls for), or take their lunch break, if Night shift gets a lunch break. If they want to combine all their breaks and take 1 one hour break, fine. They will go one at a time. If they are so much as 1 second late, I will be notifying the above-named people.

Stop fearing them, stop being part of the problem. I wish you well, I know it's not easy to stand up to these good-for-nothings but if you don't, your pts could suffer and you will be doing their work. Do you really want to be paid for one job while doing 2?

jetscreamer101 · Jul 16, 2006

We occasionally have that problem, but the night shift nurses send home sleeping aides or nurses when they are caught sleeping. Usually it's and agency nurse of CNA and we put them on out Do Not Return list.