Whether you take your breaks during the day and evening shifts, generally what you do with your break is your business. You can go eat something, spend the time reading quietly, surf the 'net, or chat with friends. But when it comes to night shift breaks, the rules change; you can't always do what you want, and that includes napping.
There have been many debates about the idea of nurses napping during their night shift breaks. While some nurses feel it is their right, others feel that this is wrong and inappropriate. Some facilities punish nurses for napping and, yet, others encourage it. Is it so cut and dry? Is it right or wrong?
Sleep Requirements
The human body needs between seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep per night in order to be fully restored. Already, in our overcharged world, many of us usually get far fewer than the ideal. If we work nights and try to sleep during the day, it's highly unlikely that we get the same deep quality sleep, let alone, the recommended amount of time.
Working Tired Isn't Safe
We all have read and heard of accidents caused by tired workers, from automobile accidents to bad judgment calls. Common problems caused by fatigue are:
• Slower cognitive responses and decision-making abilities
• Disruptions in short-term memory
• Difficulty maintaining attention to detail
• Slower motor skills
Next: Tired Nurses Leads to More Mistakes >>
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If we throw in the nursing aspect, according to Medical errors: the scope of the problem (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality), we may see issues that include:
• Medication errors (wrong medication, wrong dose)
• Not noticing issues during assessment
• Not initiating proper interventions in response to assessments
• Not following proper isolation precautions
• Inability to follow precise details
• Mishandling of sharp or dangerous items
So, if being tired can be dangerous, why are some administrators – and some nurses – so dead set against allowing sleepy nurses to nap during their breaks?
Types of Naps
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) says there are three types of naps:
1. Planned nap - you know you will need to be awake later so you nap to store your reserves
2. Emergency nap – often a "power nap" that you take when you're exhausted and you need to just close your eyes for a few moments
3. Habitual nap – you plan to nap at a certain time each day, whether you feel you need it or not
For the most part, nurses do take planned naps before going in to work at night, but it's the power napping that seems to be the issue here. A power nap of 30 minutes or so may be just what a nurse needs to effectively return to finish his or her shift. In fact, the NSF says, "A short nap is usually recommended (20-30 minutes) for short-term alertness. This type of nap provides significant benefit for improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy or interfering with nighttime sleep."
The NSF also offers the following information regarding the benefits of napping:
• "Naps can restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes and accidents. A study at NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34% and alertness 100%.
• Naps can increase alertness in the period directly following the nap and may extend alertness a few hours later in the day.
• Napping has psychological benefits. A nap can be a pleasant luxury, a mini-vacation. It can provide an easy way to get some relaxation and rejuvenation."
So, why is it that napping is a punishable offense, from reprimands to outright dismissal, in some facilities?
Sources:
http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/28/6/12#R2
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/napping
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Sleeping During Your Night ShiftOriginally from: http://www.nursinglink.monster.com/news/articles/9118-sleeping-during-your-night-shift
View this post on my blog: http://travelnursesuccess.com/sleeping-during-your-night-shift-2
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