What else can be done about a nurse sleeping on duty??

I work as a charge nurse in an ICU. I am having a problem with a nurse sleeping while on duty. I'm not talking about sleeping while on her 30 minute, unpaid break but rather, sleeping for hours at a time, every single shift. She doesn't let anyone know, she just disappears into the computer room at the back of the unit or into the family conference room and sleeps. Her patient's end up being horribly neglected all night as a result and the other nurses on the unit end up picking up her slack by having to answer her call lights or silencing her pumps. Not too long ago, one of her patient's coded and, while I have no proof of this, I strongly suspect she was sleeping just before it happened. 

I have spoken directly to her about. I wake her up every time I find her sleeping. I have went to management about it. Nothing works. It seems like management couldn't care less about the situation and, since she keeps getting away with it, the behavior continues. I have no idea what to do about it now. I just feel like eventually a patient is going to be harmed and/or will die as a result of her sleeping. What would you do in this situation? 

Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

we can call an administer and it is grounds for instant dismissal,

Report her to the board

I bet if her doctor knew about the situation he’d put an end to the neglect ASAP. Doctors are highly protective of their patients.

Specializes in Retired.

Have her sent to ER for drug screen.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I know many nurses hate doing this but has she been written up for it?

Specializes in Hospice RN 🖤🩺.

Since management refuses to step in and protect the patient, next time a patient of her experiences an adverse event (codes, falls, etc), I would handle it as much as you can if she is nowhere to be found and then document in the chart “this nurse handled situation, patients primary nurse made aware of situation once found. Primary nurse was sleeping in conference room (or wherever you found her sleeping)”. Then leave it at that. Let management see that documentation in the legal chart and see if they change their tune. 

16 minutes ago, RN2B21 said:

Since management refuses to step in and protect the patient, next time a patient of her experiences an adverse event (codes, falls, etc), I would handle it as much as you can if she is nowhere to be found and then document in the chart “this nurse handled situation, patients primary nurse made aware of situation once found. Primary nurse was sleeping in conference room (or wherever you found her sleeping)”. Then leave it at that. Let management see that documentation in the legal chart and see if they change their tune. 

Absolutely not.  That is not something you put in the patient’s chart.  This does need to be escalated to HR though if management isn’t addressing it but never document this in the chart.

Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.

How are you reporting her? Just verbally to the manager? This is a safety issue. I would write an actual incident report using whatever your hospital's system is with every occurrence, as well as email the nurse manager. I would also get the nightshift house supervisor involved. She needs to be sent home if she cannot do her job, and if you do not have the authority to do that, your house sup should. Yes, that means there will be shifts where her patients will be given to other nurses until this is resolved. Be prepared to not be popular for that, but this is hurting everybody already.

2 hours ago, cwgirl197 said:

Absolutely not.  That is not something you put in the patient’s chart.  This does need to be escalated to HR though if management isn’t addressing it but never document this in the chart.

I echo this sentiment. Entering into the patient's chart that the nurse was sleeping is opening a Pandora's box that neither the nurse entering it nor management can close. That is another unthinking advice. 

Specializes in ICU/ER/Med-Surg/Case Management/Manageme.
3 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:

I know many nurses hate doing this but has she been written up for it?

Agree.  In almost 40 years of nursing, I've only written up a couple of nurses.  99.9999% of things can be resolved with education, coaching, etc.  Sometimes people simply don't know they are doing something wrong.  But in this case, an occurrence report would be a definite for me. Anyone knows sleeping on any job is wrong but in nursing?  

Somebody mentioned sending her to the ER for a drug screen and it probably would be warranted but that would be the house supervisor's call, not the CN.

This screams out drug use, not necessarily diversion but maybe before she even comes to work. 

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