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 retired LTC.
18 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? 

I would recommend that the local State Dept of Health be contacted, not the BON. Anonymous reports are usually discarded in most agencies, altho in reports to the DOH, they do investigate anonymous reports. And if they saw fit, they could just decide to do an 'on site, off hours' visit just to catch the offender (they actually CAN do it, altho it would be rare). I've NEVER heard of the BON leaving their offices.

Specializes in ED, Tele, MedSurg, ADN, Outpatient, LTC, Peds.

For the New Year-----!

Maybe Prince Charming can wake up Sleeping Beauty next time she slacks off with a Halitosis breath--------! She will be off running----to her patients hopefully!

Happy New Year to all whenever it arrives for you!

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I definitely think this nurse IS a member of this site and saw herself in the post. I say win/win. Maybe she's cured of such blatant disregard for her patients and coworkers.

23 hours ago, Pixie.RN said:

I am flashing back to old slumber party tricks... putting her hand in warm water, or filling a palm with shaving cream and tickling her nose, or just writing "I love LSD" on her forehead. 

Seriously, this is AWFUL. And shocking that no one seems to be doing anything. I hope some of the suggested actions in this thread bear fruit. 

Do NOT touch her.  She could freak out, she could probably involve police and/or sue.  And in the times in which we live, she would probably win.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
25 minutes ago, Kooky Korky said:

Do NOT touch her.  She could freak out, she could probably involve police and/or sue.  And in the times in which we live, she would probably win.

Oh good grief, I was JOKING. Which is why I started the next paragraph with the word "seriously." Geez. 

Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
5 hours ago, Marceline Russell said:

Wow, I have a private duty 12hr over night case that I take a nap on. The family is aware and they don’t say anything. I know it is grounds for immediate termination but now that I am told it is considered patient abandonment I will stop immediately. I really do see why they say nurses eat their young. You nurses are merciless on each other. When you know better you do better. 

Perhaps YOU didn't know better, but nurse would know better. Period. I cannot fathom how a nurse could graduate nursing school and not know this.

Specializes in Peds ED.
Marceline Russell said:

Wow, I have a private duty 12hr over night case that I take a nap on. The family is aware and they don't say anything. I know it is grounds for immediate termination but now that I am told it is considered patient abandonment I will stop immediately. I really do see why they say nurses eat their young. You nurses are merciless on each other. When you know better you do better. 

No, this is not "nurses eating their young.” What this nurse is doing is horribly unsafe and irresponsible. Most hospitals it's an immediate fireable offense. 

I think you should consider why knowing that your naps are grounds for termination wasn't enough to discourage you from taking them. You're the only one there with the patient as well, it's not like you have a coworker who can keep an eye on things for you. When you a rule and a consequence don't make sense to you, you really should seek to understand why the rule is in place and why the consequence is what it is.

Specializes in Peds.

The private duty agency I was going to work for actually told us during orientation that if we work 16 hour shifts, we can tell the parent or caregiver that we need a nap and go sleep somewhere for an hour. I was appalled they even said that. That agency is going to cause a patient death. 

Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
18 hours ago, Runsoncoffee99 said:

The private duty agency I was going to work for actually told us during orientation that if we work 16 hour shifts, we can tell the parent or caregiver that we need a nap and go sleep somewhere for an hour. I was appalled they even said that. That agency is going to cause a patient death. 

I would not work for an agency that allowed that.

I stand corrected a nurse who graduated should know better than to sleep on the job (night shift of course). I wonder how many of you who responded ever worked a night shift? It is a natural phenomenon for the body to want to rest/sleep at night. Most people shy away from graveyard shifts but, someone has to do it. I think it wise to combine breaks and dinner time together to allow staff to have a catnap which has been proven to keep you alert and attentive mentally. Supervisors, if they are smart instead of trying to play "gotcha" they should cover their nurses caseload so they can get a catnap on graveyard shifts. Yes, I do believe nurses eat their young, this too is a known fact. Instead of offering solutions to help your fellow nurses stay awake, there is an automatic negativity placed on napping on a long shift. Also, I find people who are usually appalled at a thing are usually the ones who are more guilty of worse offences. To aggravate you more, when I worked day shifts and I had the option to combine lunch and breaks, I jump at the opportunity to get a catnap in my car. You should try it, maybe it will help to not be so prickly and self righteous. 

Specializes in Peds ED.
marshahousen said:

I stand corrected a nurse who graduated should know better than to sleep on the job (night shift of course). I wonder how many of you who responded ever worked a night shift? It is a natural phenomenon for the body to want to rest/sleep at night. Most people shy away from graveyard shifts but, someone has to do it. I think it wise to combine breaks and dinner time together to allow staff to have a catnap which has been proven to keep you alert and attentive mentally. Supervisors, if they are smart instead of trying to play "gotcha" they should cover their nurses caseload so they can get a catnap on graveyard shifts. Yes, I do believe nurses eat their young, this too is a known fact. Instead of offering solutions to help your fellow nurses stay awake, there is an automatic negativity placed on napping on a long shift. Also, I find people who are usually appalled at a thing are usually the ones who are more guilty of worse offences. To aggravate you more, when I worked day shifts and I had the option to combine lunch and breaks, I jump at the opportunity to get a catnap in my car. You should try it, maybe it will help to not be so prickly and self righteous. 

There's a difference between creating a work environment that allows this (which I fully support, but I haven't had adequate coverage for a lunch break in like, ever, so clustered nap breaks for night shift definitely isn't the current situation) and just peace-ing out and sleeping while your overloaded coworkers are forced to step in and try to cover for you as best as they can (coworkers who are also working the night shift and also having to manage sleeping and being awake on schedules that contradict our body's rhythm). 

Honestly, you sound very inexperienced and like you don't have a good grasp of what's at stake OR nursing culture. This site is FULL of tips and advice and commiseration on the difficulties staying awake and alert during night shifts, sleeping during the day, managing home life when the rest of our friends and families (and doctors and grocery stores and post offices and restaurants etc etc) are awake and active when we need to be sleeping.

Nurses eating their young has to do with not educating, supporting, encouraging, being understanding of new nurses as they learn. When a nurse is doing something that is dangerous and a risk to their license, blunt and direct IS A KINDNESS.

Staffing so night shift can have a midshift nap would be awesome. You don't make that happen by just taking those naps (from the OP's description too, long naps beyond a lunch break) while your patients and fellow nurses struggle to cover for you. 

And I've worked nights for years. And been recognized by my orientees, inexperienced nurses, charge nurses, and managers for my precepting and mentorship. I still think the behavior the OP described is dangerous (and still think a private duty nurse without relief should not leave their patient unmonitored for a nap). 

On 12/16/2020 at 12:38 PM, Guest856929 said:

I am not sure about videotaping her. I doubt that is in your job description as charge nurse. I heard a story of someone who did that and the person being videotaped said she was praying and sued for violation of privacy or something akin to that. America is a highly litigious society. Be cautious with some of the unthinking advice you might be given herein. You have reported it. Let the buck stop where it should appropriately stop. 

And where is that?

Did Ms. Religion win her lawsuit?

Whoever she was praying to should be telling her to get back to work taking care of those for whom she is responsible.

I personally favor the anonymous videotape being sent to the CEO, CFO, all the C's, and the Risk Manager attorneys.  Not to mention to the local media and the Board of Nursing Registration.  

At the very least, this person should be put on Day shift.  Maybe she will screw up so visibly and so badly that the bigwigs will be forced to see it and take action.  Your boss who is unwilling to take action can come to Nights in Miss Lazybones' place.

Be quiet for a while, no complaining for a while, sing her praises for a while if anything, so the recipients of your handiwork won't immediately suspect you.

Don't go exploding a firecracker near her or clang any cymbals, as she might have a heart attack.  That would be well-deserved but there would likely be hell to pay for scaring the dirty old hypocritical B.... and she could win a lawsuit and retire. 

Find out where she churches and inform her pastor, rabbi, whatever of how she behaves on the job.  Certainly do this anonymously, if you do it at all.   Mail it from her own home zip code, not from work or your home zip code.

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