What to do with CNAs that sleep during the night shift?

[Plagueis]

I'm a newer LPN who was recently switched to the 11 to 7 shift. The last time I worked, a couple of the CNAs fell asleep around the nurses' station. They told me that they don't do it on purpose, but that it's hard to stay awake on a shift where there is more down time than other shifts.

Now I know how hard it is to stay awake overnight, but I don't think it's ok for staff to sleep while on duty. I've seen other CNAs bring in books, knitting, or puzzles to do in order to keep themselves busy so that they stay up. However, I was told by other midnight nurses that, technically, staff shouldn't be bringing in books, etc., to keep themselves busy because the staff shouldn't be "distracted" by these activities when they are supposed to be watching for call lights, changing residents, or whatever. Plus, I'm told that even on their 30-minute break, they can't go somewhere to sleep. (But they can leave the facility.) So what do you nurses do about this? What is your facility's policy about sleeping and bringing in things to keep staff awake? Sending the aid home? Suspension? Thanks in advance.

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

I don't know if our night shift staff sleeps but is it any better that they find other ways to waste time? I hate following certain CNAs when I come in for the morning because nobody is washed (the 2 of them are supposedly required to wash and dress 4 people out of the 30 on the hallway and then leave them in bed, but they hardly ever do), everyone is soaked, there are dry pads on top of wet sheets, rooms are a mess, etc. They say they didn't have time because it was a "crazy night" or there were a lot of call bells. And yet you find magazines and crossword puzzles up at the desk.

I am sick of the pity party that 3rd shift is always throwing itself- "boo hoo, our staffing is less, and not everybody sleeps through the night and there are call bells!" The other shifts have to answer call bells too. They also have to do rounds and vitals and waters, just like you. Plus they have meals, supplements, walks, baths, getting hoyers in and out of bed several times, doing AM or PM care on a lot more people than you (especially if your lazy ass "didn't have time" to do anyone at all), lots of toileting (as opposed to just rolling a new pad under someone), bed-making, etc.

I certainly don't have time to do crossword puzzles. I'm lucky if I can make it to the bathroom before lunch. We have one 3rd shift aide who I love to follow because the required people are washed and mostly everyone else is dry, proving that it can be done if you don't read magazines!

[vampcna]

As a noc cna I must admit there have been a few( very few) nights where I was so

tired I had to get some sleep. I was either severly sleep deprived or sick. My

coworkers would tell me to sleep and they would watch my rooms. This was a life

saver, and I recipricate for the hardworking ones. The serial sleepers who ignore

their patients however I will not cover for. These few cnas give the rest of us a

bad rep as a shift. One that is undeserved.

BTW, to fuzzywuzzy, I don't know about your facility, but in mine we have quite

a few fall risk and combative geri-psyche patients to usually keep us busy all

shift. And the reason we do less IS because we have 3, sometimes 4 times the

patient load as am does. And in my facility noc shift always collects bm and urine

samples that are days late. Not to mention cleaning closets, bathrooms, and shower

rooms. We are busy( except forb our sleeping beauties)

[nola1202]

there used to be this nun that would smack the backs of our heads if we were nodding off. worked like a charm! But wait....that's considered pysical assult now!

[pumpkin92356]

boy thats right they cant tell you what to do when you are on break!

[akanini, MSN, RN]

This thread is OLD....but interesting. I don't think CNAs sleeping will ever change. It's hard to stay up when the body was meant to sleep at night. There's no action going on so I let my CNAs sleep. They answer the call bell.

[pedicurn, LPN, RN]

This has been a problem off and on for me. Almost all of the Aides I have working on the 11-7 shift work 2 jobs, either a 7-3 job or a 3-11 job at other centers. Most of them have families at home as well. I assume most of them only get a few hours sleep a day at most.

Yes this sometimes the issue.

Low income folk having to work two jobs to survive.

It's sometimes a delicate issue and need to tread carefully. Eg The aide who is the sole family breadwinner because the other parent is ill and cannot work