sleeping staff

Nurses Safety

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It's incredible! just went down stairs to use their xerox machine and everyone of their staff members is sound asleep, all wrapped up in blankets and "Mouth Wide Open." They just don't care about why they are here. Should something happen....................I pity them! I'm sure they'd cover it all up somehow. I am so glad I don't work with that crew... This is on a nightly basis! You'd think someone would want to be alert and functioning. Snoozing is one thing, but not everyone at the same time...

"Hello?," the clue phone...it's for you!"

Specializes in Oncology, Cardiology, ER, L/D.

I hate to address this topic AGAIN, but I love Donuts, if your floor is so busy and you guys have to "run and run and run" when exactly do you have time to sleep for an hour at a time?

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Specializes in cardiac, diabetes, OB/GYN.

There will always be people who nap on the night shift, meaning that eyes closed ...I never condoned it and couldn't and wouldn't do it myself...Old school,however,if someone is exhausted and it isn't busy, I suggest they go lie down, and be on call for that time frame, with approval from the supervisor...

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Navynurse, I assume it is on the break that all staff are entitled by labor laws to have. My floor is never really quiet either, but I am not going to work 12 hours without any break as this is unfair to me and my patients. There are nurses who choose to martyr themselves this way, but I am not one of them.

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That's what I meant.

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Specializes in Oncology, Cardiology, ER, L/D.

Duh, my bad, I forgot all about the break! Silly me, touche.:rolleyes:

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Do you get your breaks navynurse? I have never worked in a military environment. My philosophy has always been, I am not a volunteer. I either get my break or I get paid for the time.

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I've worked floors where the nurses and nursings asst take turn sleeping for short periods of time. Night shift is 12 hour 7pm to 7:15 Am. Staff is entitled to a dinner break and two 15 minute breaks. If a staff member wants to sleep on their break time how can we stop that. I'ts their time their entitled to it.

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Specializes in Oncology, Cardiology, ER, L/D.
Originally posted by fergus51

Do you get your breaks navynurse? I have never worked in a military environment. My philosophy has always been, I am not a volunteer. I either get my break or I get paid for the time.

Hi Fergus, I am not in the military anymore, but when I was we got breaks for meal time and for the people that smoked, they got breaks, but NOBODY in their right mind would ever use that time to sleep! It just wasn't done, especially in a military setting. I realized how judgemental I sounded and for that I apologize, I joined the Navy when I was seventeen years old, and basically I guess it was just how I was trained. Now that I am working and going to school in the civilian world, I still don't think I could sleep at work, even on my breaks. Old habits die hard but I didn't mean to sound like the witch from hell.:kiss

Michelle:D

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Yawnnnnnn! I understand the problem if patient safety is at risk. However, I need a nap on nights as I can't sleep well during the day and am like a bear with a sore head when it comes to 7am and handover. I feel physically sick on nights. I HAVE to work nights due to staff numbers. However, as long as my patients are SAFE and the ward is adequatley covered by safe, competent staff, I will go for a sleep break. It is MY break. I don't get paid for my break, it's my business what I do with it. What's the problem??????? Jesus, I'm already sacrifising an increased risk of cancer and premature death for working nights. Give me a break!!!

Additionally, some of my collegues smoke. Thus they get EXTRA breaks for smoking, they also have to leave the ward area and go outside and are uncontactable. At least I am in the ward area and am available if needed as I wake up in an instant.

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Don't worry Michelle:)! I always give people the benefit of the doubt on this bb! I can't sleep on breaks either. I have never been able to feel refreshed after an hour of sleep. I use my break time to read or go to the coffee shop, but I always make sure to get off the unit for a bit to rest my mind. I used to not mind having to stay an extra 15 minutes at the end of a shift and miss one or two breaks a shift. Then I realized how silly I aws being. What incentive does a hospital have to staff properly if I will wear myself down for free?

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Specializes in Babies, peds, pain management.

I've worked mainly nights for 20 years...I've worked with nurses who sleep. I should have turned them in but I didn't and don't. I really ticks me off because I don't except for an occasional

"sleeping in church" naps where you wake up and hope you didn't snore. I just can't sleep on the job. I read, talk, eat, watch videos and occasionally if we are really slow, I do needlework. But I sleep at home. And sometimes in the car for 10-20 mins if I'm really tired before driving home.

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Originally posted by ERNurse752

hehe...or a good time to run in and start shaking them, yelling, "Code Blue!!!!" ;)

ROFL! Ill have to remember that one. Hopefully they'll have a sense of humor.

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