Sleeping on The Job


Nurse Falls from her seat while sleeping

As previous nights a nurse went through her regular routine:  She placed several charts on her lap and sat on a seat at a desk to do her charting. Several minutes later, her head begin bobbing back and forth, and then came the sound of snoring. On this particular night, something happened unexpectedly!
Suddenly she fell off the seat, on to the floor. The sound of the charts made a loud noise, as they fell onto the floor.  She lay sprawled between the charts and the stool, resembling a drunkard.  (She wasn't hurt from her fall)

Nurse’s Profile:
Poor job performance, habitual reporting for work late, visits clubs before coming to work frequently, records false statements concerning the observation of patients; stating a patient slept comfortably throughout the night, when in fact, that individual had been given medication for pain.

Unit:  Post-op Surgical Patients 

Questions:
Should sleeping on the job be cause for automatic termination?
What are your feelings concerning those who have a poor job performance?
Did this nurse place these patients’ lives in jeopardy?

__ Ellen J. Barrier
Author/Medical Professional