I've never posted here, but know this is an awesome place for objective views, so here goes:
I work 0700-1500 shift at a very small (6 bed) Type B assisted living facility.
I arrived about 30 minutes early for work Friday & found both over-night techs asleep outside a patient room and they were wrapped in blankets on a sofa.. This was not a simple incident of nodding off while charting. ---This type assisted living facility has residents that do NOT require skilled care 24 hours a day. We have a nurse on 0700-1500 and 1500-2300 shift. Night shift is staffed by techs only, with RN support available in case of emergencies.
Their documentation had been written out through end of shift & they had left blanks to fill in relevant information: "patient turned x ______; voided _____cc's clear yellow urine this reporting period . Repositioned Q 2 hours. Final shift check made @ 0630"
They were asleep @ 0630!---and who knows HOW long before that! We are new, so we only have 1 (ONE) patient--and they were right outside his room. One of the sleepers has already made a name for herself with subtle insubordiantion (complaining about routine for the facility once we're full --division of 6 showers between the 3 shifts--, complaining about taking V/S @ 0600...) She has been counseled about sleeping on duty the week prior, but argued that she 'was on her break' at the time of the incident.
Rather than wake them right then & there, I notified CNS (Central Nursing Supervisor) and phoned our unit nurse mgr.
CNS arrived & woke the 2 staff--informing them that the DON had been notified & they'd both need to stop by his office for counseling & to have the incident documented.
WELL--today, we had an impromptu meeting (minus the sleepers)--where the nurse manager curtly announced that she'd prefer that we wake sleepers, rather than report them, because "we are on the same team" and "shouldn't wish any harm to come to another's job". :kiss
We are brand new, so we only have 1 (ONE) patient
Am I missing something here? Sleeping on duty...'fill-in-the-blanks' documentation...one patient...wrapped up in a blanket?:deadhorse
Any input is appreciated! Thanks for allowing me to vent.
I completely agree with the other posters, get out now. If the DON doesn't care about the sleeping would he care about anything else? They should have been fired on the spot.
Wow, that is a tough situation. I had a similar situation at work (as a med aide/CNA/gopher) with graveyard CNA's obviously precharting and then sleeping. I'd suggest either continuing to report it or finding a new job/manager. If something did happen to a resident and the family took action, many people could be found liable.
Wow, wrapped up in blankets even! So the didn't accidentally fall asleep Im assuming. It's one thing if they were on break, but why would they be infront of patients if they were on break? And administration doesn't care?? You need to leave!!
I arrived about 30 minutes early for work Friday & found both over-night techs asleep outside a patient room and they were wrapped in blankets on a sofa.. This was not a simple incident of nodding off while charting.
Their documentation had been written out through end of shift & they had left blanks to fill in relevant information: "patient turned x ______; voided _____cc's clear yellow urine this reporting period . Repositioned Q 2 hours. Final shift check made @ 0630"
They were asleep @ 0630!---and who knows HOW long before that! We are new, so we only have 1 (ONE) patient--and they were right outside his room. One of the sleepers has already made a name for herself with subtle insubordiantion (complaining about routine for the facility once we're full --division of 6 showers between the 3 shifts--, complaining about taking V/S @ 0600...) She has been counseled about sleeping on duty the week prior, but argued that she 'was on her break' at the time of the incident.
Rather than wake them right then & there (minus the sleepers)--where the nurse manager curtly announced that she'd prefer that we wake sleepers, rather than report them, because "we are on the same team" and "shouldn't wish any harm to come to another's job". :kiss
We are brand new, so we only have 1 (ONE) patient
Am I missing something here? Sleeping on duty...'fill-in-the-blanks' documentation...one patient...wrapped up in a blanket?:deadhorse
Any input is appreciated! Thanks for allowing me to vent.
Well...I am going to say this, right or wrong this is how I feel. It is extremely difficult to stay awake all night. For most, it disrupts their whole life, because the world operates during the day and it's not natural to stay up all night.
This is why there always seems to be more night shifts available. Most everyone I know who works the night shift is ALWAYS tired and my heart goes out to them because I've worked nights before and the shift differential is not enough to make the lifestyle worthwhile.
If the system wouldn't be abused I think night shift people should be allowed to sleep in shifts, take power naps...whatever they need to do to keep them going. One person hold the fort down while others sleep, and take turns.
Well...I am going to say this, right or wrong this is how I feel. It is extremely difficult to stay awake all night. For most, it disrupts their whole life, because the world operates during the day and it's not natural to stay up all night.
This is why there always seems to be more night shifts available. Most everyone I know who works the night shift is ALWAYS tired and my heart goes out to them because I've worked nights before and the shift differential is not enough to make the lifestyle worthwhile.
If the system wouldn't be abused I think night shift people should be allowed to sleep in shifts, take power naps...whatever they need to do to keep them going. One person hold the fort down while others sleep, and take turns.
I get what your saying. I work night shift and it is very hard to stay awake sometimes. I would be afraid that some would abuse that system, by not getting enough sleep before work b/c they PLANNED on sleeping at work. (I worked with a tech that did this. It was an easy job on a child psych unit and these kids would sleep from 12am to 5am 95% on the time) Yes, I nodded a few times during quiet times during charting, but not on purpose all snuggled up in a blanket. And if sleeping on breaks is allowed, it shouldn't be where the patients can see you sleeping. That just seems very unprofessional to me.
Wow, many of you must have really easy jobs. I'm so busy all night (12 hour shifts) that I eat a quick lunch while charting and I may get to pee once in the night. Sleep? PLEASE.... if we are tired, we better get a stiff cup of coffee because anyone caught with closed eyes is terminated on the spot.
outside a patient room and they were wrapped in blankets on a sofa.. This was not a simple incident of nodding off while charting. ---This type assisted living facility has residents that do NOT require skilled care 24 hours a day. We have a nurse on 0700-1500 and 1500-2300 shift. Night shift is staffed by techs only, with RN support available in case of emergencies.
Marylou1102
127 Posts
I completely agree with the other posters, get out now. If the DON doesn't care about the sleeping would he care about anything else? They should have been fired on the spot.