Would you call in because you didn't get any sleep?

[Elvish]

I was trying to sleep the other day and somebody rang my doorbell at 1130 just as I was gettting there :angryfire. Made me so mad I couldn't go back to sleep for a L O N G time. I called in sick because I wouldn't go to work on no sleep. Turns out I finally DID go to sleep so I called back & said I'd come in if they needed me.

So I got curious: Have you called in sick (or would you) because you hadn't gotten any sleep (after trying, of course) by the time you're required to call in for your shift?

[StNeotser, ASN, RN]

Yes, I have twice before.

The one time I called in I had been up for 27 hours and have no idea why I couldn't sleep that day.

The second time was because of a family emergency that happened during the day giving me no time to sleep. If you get IN to work having not slept for 27 hours, how safe are you going to be?

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

This is so timely!!! Yesterday a guy I used to work with ran off the road and got really banged up. Fell asleep at the wheel. He would work a shift then work agency for another shift. And he did this every day, sometimes no sleep at all. He is a single father. Now his kiddo is with grandma in NC and he's in the hosp with a fx femur.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

when i was in my 20s, i worked night shift for 2 years. during that time i had a few personal problems -- some days i'd get 45 minutes of sleep. this went on day after day after day. i had to go in -- i was still on probation at work, didn't dare lose my job because then i'd lose my health insurance and i had cancer. awful time.

these days, i have a happy homelife. if i miss one day or one night of sleep (yes, after 30 years i'm rotating shifts again!) i'd still drag myself to work. i only got 2 hours of sleep the other day because i was home alone with the dog, and she had a seizure. i sat with her to keep her from rolling off the stair landing, then cleaned up the poop she'd been rolling in and gave her a bath. and then she bounced off the walls for the rest of the day, howling and head butting the door if i shut her out of the bedroom and dropping toys on my chest if i didn't. she only acts like that after a seizure. but if i missed a second sleep period, i'd call in. i can tough out one shift without sleep, but without two days of sleep i'd be a zombie!

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

It really depends on the circumstances.

Although I'm usually ok on four hours of sleep (as long as I don't make a habit of it) I don't do well on the combination of no sleep and a huge personal problem, so in that case I would call off.

I won't work if I don't feel I'm giving safe care. Being too sleepy at work or driving is just plain dangerous.

[patchy]

It's really up to you and what you feel you can handle. Don't go by what other people can do and rate yourself to their settings. If your body is too exhausted then no, if you feel alright and you know you can handle it safely then do it. Everybody has to make the call for themselves though. Some people just need a nap, and others need more than that. If you are so tired and sleepy you cant think, then call in.

[KaroSnowQueen, RN]

I am the kind of person who NEEDS a lot of sleep, and going in to work tired and sleepy puts both me and my patients at risk. Have called in for not enough sleep, and will continue to do so.

I don't think the risk of a huge mistake when I am tired and foggy is worth the risk, I'd rather get an absence point and stay home and rest.

[alee836]

I would have to say how little sleep I got would depend on if I went in...If I got absolutly no sleep I would call in.....safety for the patients. If I only lost a few hours sleep I would go on in. Don't know when the last time was that I slept all the way through the night.

[DDRN4me]

Have to agree. If I had no sleep and did not feel safe driving i would not feel safe making life and death decisions!!!Even if you "feel fine" there is a strong chance that you are not functioning at 100%.

[Sabby_NC]

LOL Ummmm when I WAS younger it was party all night and go to work the next day with my nursing collegues but now if I do not get at least a few hours I feel nauseated. That in itself is not a good way to work let me say!! I HATE calling in though but if necessary I would. I am blessed that falling too sleep has not been a real problem for me. (I hope that I don't get to regret typing that LOL)

[Meganan]

I have called in for lack of sleep and almost got fired for it. The facility did not care that I thought I would be an unsafe nurse with vent patients. By the way, The ADOn told me the only reason I didn't get fired was that I was the only RN they had for that shift.

[darrell]

I rarely call in and I could likely do well on one short night, but if I didn't sleep at all, I would consider it. I guard my sleep, setting aside sleep time like I do work time and using techniques like progressive relaxation when I am restless.

Tiredness can be chronic and would require a different approach, but fatigue related to lack of sleep in a person who isn't used to this is too dangerous to toy with. When it happens to me, some people say I act like I've had a couple of drinks. I don't drink, so the change from my baseline must stand right out!

D

[manettohillnurse]

:monkeydance: I'm responding to the poll about calling in sick for lack of sleep. I absolutely would call in. A sleep-deprived nurse is a danger to her patients. Having said that, I'd try to rectify the reason for not sleeping.