Should Night Nurses Sleep on their breaks?

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   I have just read a letter from a nurse who doesn't think so. She works 10.5 hour night shifts on a 24-bedded mental health unit as the nurse in charge. She has two care assistants working with her. She doesn't take a proper break through the expletive deleted because although it is busy there are plenty of quiet times where she can get a drink or have a bit to eat - lucky her!

Her argument against sleeping during breaks is:

Do nurses sleep during their breaks during the day?

If there was an emergency nurses who have just woken up would not be fit enough to deal with it.
In my opinion she is on another planet and I'm surprised by the fact that she appears to be a pyschy nurse that she doesn't realise what she is saying. 

It is not natural for most of us to work through the night - your Circadian rhythm fights to get it's way and make you nod off especially if there are "quiet times".

If I was tired during a day shift I would certainly consider napping during my break.

The major point she is missing that we are supposed to take breaks by law. Her hospital should provide trained cover for her to be able to leave her responsibilities in the hands of someone else while she is on her break. I know - I've been there and done that! If the hospital is running on unsafe staffing levels it is their responsibility to get them sorted but it your reponsibility to point out the unsafe levels.

As far as waking from sleep and being able to cope with an emergency - what do doctors in hospitals do every night? It's not right but it happens. Getting even 15 minutes sleep can mean being refreshed enough to be safe when you return to the ward. Working through without taking a break can be just as dangerous as your concentration levels drop though your shift.        

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MoJo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18	Post Options Post Reply Quote MoJo Quote Reply Topic: Should Night Nurses Sleep on their breaks? Posted: 12 Sep 2008 at 10:35
	I have just read a letter from a nurse who doesn't think so. She works 10.5 hour night shifts on a 24-bedded mental health unit as the nurse in charge. She has two care assistants working with her. She doesn't take a proper break through the expletive deleted because although it is busy there are plenty of quiet times where she can get a drink or have a bit to eat - lucky her! Her argument against sleeping during breaks is: Do nurses sleep during their breaks during the day? If there was an emergency nurses who have just woken up would not be fit enough to deal with it. In my opinion she is on another planet and I'm surprised by the fact that she appears to be a pyschy nurse that she doesn't realise what she is saying. It is not natural for most of us to work through the night - your Circadian rhythm fights to get it's way and make you nod off especially if there are "quiet times". If I was tired during a day shift I would certainly consider napping during my break. The major point she is missing that we are supposed to take breaks by law. Her hospital should provide trained cover for her to be able to leave her responsibilities in the hands of someone else while she is on her break. I know - I've been there and done that! If the hospital is running on unsafe staffing levels it is their responsibility to get them sorted but it your reponsibility to point out the unsafe levels. As far as waking from sleep and being able to cope with an emergency - what do doctors in hospitals do every night? It's not right but it happens. Getting even 15 minutes sleep can mean being refreshed enough to be safe when you return to the ward. Working through without taking a break can be just as dangerous as your concentration levels drop though your shift.

JFN Admin Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 59	Post Options Post Reply Quote JFN Admin Quote Reply Posted: 13 Sep 2008 at 15:28
	Hi Mojo, Another consideration is the type of unit/ward you are on. The days when ITU and CCU have "quiet periods" is long gone! Cheers, Nigel

Rosiecheeks Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 01 Oct 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rosiecheeks Quote Reply Posted: 01 Oct 2008 at 21:58
	Our breaks are unpaid, therefore we are entitled within reason to do what we want e.g sleep on a night shift if we want to. If management want to pay for our breaks then they can dictate what we do on them then.

Sheffield Maz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sheffield Maz Quote Reply Posted: 05 Dec 2008 at 20:41
	Well I worked on nights for about 17 years. We always made sure we took in turns to have a sleep and always left the ward with ample trained cover. At the time it felt like a matter of life and death to have a sleep and honestly don't know how I would have got through it without night breaks looking back. And yes we did respond to emmergencies once in a while its surprising how quick you can come to and deal with stuff when you have to . On busy nights we had to just be sensible and make sure everything was tip top and just have a bit less.....but yes just 15 mins can make all the difference when you are close to exhaustion.

melscott55 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 04 Feb 2009 Location: London Online Status: Offline Posts: 47	Post Options Post Reply Quote melscott55 Quote Reply Posted: 04 Feb 2009 at 12:02
	no nurses should not sleep on their breaks for obvious reasons. it is not allowed in my trust and it can lead to dismissal if you are caught. when i was a student on one of the wards they used to sleep for 3 hours each and one night there was an arrest and as you can guess people were bleary eyed and could not function properly. it opened my eyes to the danger and have never done it since. i am one of the few who will stay on the ward for my break.