Sleeping on the job...............is it a good thing

[kellbell1]

Here is an interesting article about sleeping on the job, I found it very interesting.

http://www.workingworld.com has very good articles related to nursing.

Not that long ago, the administration of a local hospital conducted a surprise visit to its NICU unit. During the visit, the administrators found many of the nurses sleeping at the bedside and at the nurses' station. The hospital promptly fired them for dereliction of duty. Though it may have been a harsh action for the administration to take, it was appropriate, since sleeping at the bedside is should never be condoned.

I have seen this practice growing in NICU and it concerns me that nurses would allow themselves to be seen sleeping at the bedside as if it somehow shows what truly dedicated professionals they are, when in reality, sleeping at the bedside is the last thing a nursing professional would do.

Nurses fall into this practise when one or more members of the nursing team, usually in a position of authority (either real or perceived), does it and encourages others to do it as well. Once the other nurses have joined in, no one feels comfortable reporting the inappropriate behavior since they are guilty of it as well, so the practice continues. I know because I have had the experience of nurses trying to encourage me to sleep at the bedside, though I always refuse.

However, this doesn't mean that nurses should not be allowed to sleep or nap when it's their break time. Unfortunately, many hospitals prohibit nurses from sleeping, even on their own time. The negative connotation of "sleeping on the job" is commonly held throughout the American workplace. It shouldn't be. The good news is that there is a great deal of recent research on what has been termed "power napping" on work performance. Studies, both controlled and anecdotal, have been published showing an increase in employee efficiency and productivity after a 15- or 20-minute nap. The challenge for nurses is to get hospitals to acknowledge that napping can actually benefit their nursing workforce. It is indeed a challenge, especially since the health care industry in general, and hospitals in particular, are often most comfortable with the status quo and reluctant to implement new concepts or new technology.

Back when I was a Director of Nursing, I had a very different opinion on nurses using their breaks to nap; I thought it would be perceived as unprofessional and I didn't see that it would benefit work performance. However, I began to alter my opinion on the matter after doing a quality assurance project at a Los Angeles area hospital. The chief physician in one of the specialty units used me, as a consultant, to assess the quality of care and to help track down an ongoing infection problem that no one seemed to be able to figure out.

So, off to work I went as a NICU/PICU/Transplant nurse for several months. It was during these long days and nights that I learned that the hospital had set aside a room on each floor where the nurses could sleep during their breaks. The room wasn't fancy and the beds were just reclining loungers, but it was a quiet, dark place where a tired nurse could catch 40 winks. The only rules were: we could only use the room on our breaks, and we must answer if an urgent page was sent--both good rules. After finishing my six months undercover work (and yes, we did track down the source of infection), I began to rethink my position on sleeping on the job. I hope that this article will encourage my nursing peers to bring this topic up with their nursing administration, using the chain of command, of course.

Here are some quick facts and figures on "power napping":

* It has been estimated that reduced productivity due to sleep deprivation costs U.S. businesses an estimated $18 billion per year.

* Studies on power napping show that well rested

employees are more alert and have faster reaction

times, improved problem-solving skills and increased creativity. All three points have a direct impact on nurses and their work.

* Who needs artificial stimulants when a quick nap can make nurses feel more alert and healthy? According to a report in Psychology Today, one California firm that implemented napping reported a 30 percent decrease in expenditures on caffeinated soda and coffee.

* Additionally, studies done by Alan Hobson, MD,

Robert Stickgold, PhD., and other Harvard colleagues show that short naps after lunch may be more effective than the post-lunch coffee break. Their research has also shown that naps enhance information processing and learning. So, a quick sleep makes us smarter and better learners, which tranlates to better patient care and safety.

It may not be easy for nurses to get the administration to agree to set up "nap rooms." You are working against an institutionalized prejudice against "sleeping on the job," but it doesn't mean that it is impossible to implement change. If your hospital is more progressive, and you already have "nap rooms" or designated places where employees can sleep during their time off (and by this I don't mean your car), then congratulations! However, remember to obey the rules on usage and always keep the area neat so privileges don't get revoked. Then share the information with fellow nurses from other hospitals where they don't have designated nap rooms, and offer to help them if they call upon you to speak about it to their superiors.

For those among you who would like to advocate for nap rooms, try some of the following procedure. Remember, the objective is to provide the nurses, especially those working 12-hour shifts, a safe place to sleep away from the bedside:

* Open up the topic of discussion with your peers. Are they interested in having a designated nap room?

If there is interest, then take it to the next level.

* Approach your Head Nurse/Charge Nurse with the idea of developing designated nap rooms. Ask your peers who share the same interest to also express their desire. If you know of a local hospital that has designated nap rooms, ask someone from that hospital to come speak to your superiors and share first-hand information. Share with your superiors information on the positives of "power napping."

* If your idea receives positive feedback, be sure to make it clear that you are willing to speak on the subject to the "big wigs" if your superior desires it. Be sure to ask your superior what they think the next steps are and how they think the nurses can be of assistance.

* You can also put your request in writing, documenting your idea and providing supportive documentation; then submitting it for consideration to the nursing management.

* And remember to talk it up, talk it up, talk it up.

Once you have put the campaign into motion, you want to keep track of its progress. Don't assume that if everyone seems enthusiastic that it will get the seal of approval and just magically get done. In almost all instances, even the most perfect idea has its detractors. For example, at a hospital at the eastern edge of Los Angeles County, the administration is so opposed to employees sleeping on the job that even if that employee is on break (and they make employees clock in and out for breaks, so this is the employee's own time), they aren't allowed to sleep in their own car. Now this is an extreme example, but I use it to remind my readers that you will face the spectrum from, "Oh wow what a great idea, let's get right on it," to, "No way, no how."

The key is to first hope for a positive reception to the idea. If you have a more hard-nosed administration, it may require more effort and long-term planning. Decide if your nursing colleagues and you are in it for the long haul. If the answer is yes, then begin slowly and keep the discussions ongoing. For example, whenever you find an article in the newspaper or research journal, cut it out, copy it, and forward it to the appropriate person. Keep the discussion alive by bringing it up at staff meetings whenever appropriate. Note, the key word here is appropriate.

Remember, never sleep at the bedside or at the nurses' station; it is unprofessional and unbecoming of nurses. Instead, encourage your nursing administration to designate nap rooms. Nurses work long shifts and do deserve to have a safe place to sleep or relax when they are on break. As a result, the hospital can reap the benefits of a nursing staff that is happy, refreshed, more productive, and less likely to make medical errors.

[dreamlandeals]

Interesting article

[Celia M, ASN, RN]

As the manager of an ICU and Med/surg/tele floor I have never had a problem with and in fact encourage the staff to nap on their breaks. i have needed to do it when covering nights myself. Our break rooms and the outpatient waiting room become our nap rooms. Slleping while on the job (ie not on your break) is a big no no and is a fireable offense.

[dreamlandeals]

http://www.workingworld.com has very good articles related to nursing.