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? 

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

On 12/26/2020 at 1:37 PM, cynical-RN said:

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. 

Definitely agree to this statement. You never ever want to put this in chart.....we are in the day and age where very basic issues can result in a Pandora’s box, much less something like this. One thing I also suggest is talking to the nurse - is there something going on that she needs to address? A bad death in the family, undiagnosed or untreated medical issues, etc. A manager needs to address this - it’s their job. 

[egglady, LPN]

The minute she falls asleep on work time, alert a supervisor.  Then just let her sleep. Care for her patients.  Let management find her fast asleep.

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

Why not report the superiors for doing nothing?, well it may end up that way anyway. It just makes more sense to go after those making you do their job. 

[Davey Do]

Years ago, this medical center... 

 

use to make this claim:

Seriously though- my medical nurse wife Belinda works with an RN at Anomaly Memorial who HR wanted to fire because she was caught sleeping.

The new unit manager went to bat for the sleeping nurse and she is now on probation- one more strike by Labor Day and she's outta there.

Belinda says she and her co workers still have to wake the sleeping nurse from time to time. 

Some people just don't get it.

[amoLucia]

15 hours ago, Workitinurfava said:

Why not report the superiors for doing nothing?, well it may end up that way anyway. It just makes more sense to go after those making you do their job. 

You're kidding, right? This would DEFINETLY be 'the kiss of death' for OP.

[DallasRN]

Robmoo said:

What is you facility policy and why has your manager not taken action?  Our policy is coaching, verbal counseling, written counseling, final counseling and then dismissal.  This process is usually done at the manager level.

If your manager is refusing to take action then write him/her up yourself.  You need to protect yourself in this situation.  When something goes down if management can prove that you knew about the situation and did not follow the process, they will throw you under the bus.  Make sure that you write him/her up and document every instance of reporting the situation to your superiors.  If your manager refuses to take action then report each incident to the house supervisor accompanied by an official write up on your part.  

Unless this person if a buddy of your manager or you work at a union hospital I don't know why this person isn't gone already.  I've heard that it is difficult to get rid off bad nurses in unionized hospitals, but there still has to be a process.  To protect yourself and the patients, you have to follow the process.

Every bit of what Robmoo said I agree with.

[Kastiara, ASN, RN]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. Just a quick update. I had plans to call the house supervisor if/when I found her sleeping again but, for the past two weeks, she hasn't slept while on duty. In fact, last week, she worked harder than I have ever seen her work. I was truly surprised. I've worked with her for a few years now and she has always been very lazy and has always slept while on duty. I don't know if our manager said something to her or if she realized she was putting her job and license at risk. Maybe a bit of both. I really hope it lasts. If it doesn't I will escalate the issue up the chain of command. 

 

[Guest856929]

To the people saying that she should be reported to the board, I am wondering how the BON will ascertain that she is indeed sleeping on the shift. How do they distinguish facts from gossip/rumor/slander/hearsay? 

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

SmilingBluEyes said:

Way back when I worked NOC I had patients turn on their call light and then apologize for interrupting my nap. I politely told them we do not nap on night shift. They were not being mean, they really thought we slept unless something was going on.

I agree w/taking it up the chain. It's really all you can and should do.

Personally, I found it harder and harder to stay awake nights so when a day shift opportunity opened up I took it. The older I got, the harder it got to stay awake. I was not a good day sleeper. I woke up at 1pm no matter what was going on, usually I had to pee even though I went before laying down. It just did not work for me.  And it's hard on a lot of us.  I drank a LOT of coffee on those shifts. And trying to be "normal" when not working, like attending sporting events for kids and socializing was killing me. Sleep was very much in short supply for me. I feel for the nurse who has to work nights.

NOC is for that rare person who loves being up at those hours, I have discovered. Too bad most positions available in hospitals seem to be for night shift, only.  It's ROUGH. Especially if you have kids to care for during the day, which I did.  I was always short on sleep and patience.

Thank you for doing it when you had to, SBE.  It is definitely not easy for most of us.  Unfortunately it just has to be done.

I hope OP will find her courage, notify the House Sup when she finds Sleeping Beauty asleep on duty, put the problem in writing (dates, times, who was notified, results of notification, etc.), and get this situation off of her back.

Kastiara said:

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. Just a quick update. I had plans to call the house supervisor if/when I found her sleeping again but, for the past two weeks, she hasn't slept while on duty. In fact, last week, she worked harder than I have ever seen her work. I was truly surprised. I've worked with her for a few years now and she has always been very lazy and has always slept while on duty. I don't know if our manager said something to her or if she realized she was putting her job and license at risk. Maybe a bit of both. I really hope it lasts. If it doesn't I will escalate the issue up the chain of command. 

Glad you have some respite from the trouble.  Just be prepared to put it in writing if it recurs.

[Emergent, RN]

Kastiara said:

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. Just a quick update. I had plans to call the house supervisor if/when I found her sleeping again but, for the past two weeks, she hasn't slept while on duty. In fact, last week, she worked harder than I have ever seen her work. I was truly surprised. I've worked with her for a few years now and she has always been very lazy and has always slept while on duty. I don't know if our manager said something to her or if she realized she was putting her job and license at risk. Maybe a bit of both. I really hope it lasts. If it doesn't I will escalate the issue up the chain of command. 

Maybe she's a member here, and read this thread...

[Robmoo, ADN, BSN, RN]

12 hours ago, cynical-RN said:

To the people saying that she should be reported to the board, I am wondering how the BON will ascertain that she is indeed sleeping on the shift. How do they distinguish facts from gossip/rumor/slander/hearsay? 

The BON would probably investigate.  If they could find no evidence and/or documentation, they would likely not pursue the complaint any further.  

[amoLucia]

12 hours ago, Emergent said:

Maybe she's a member here, and read this thread...

Just what I was thinking and she that she saw 'herself' in the post. The timeline would be just about right.