I've been working in home health care for a little over 3 months & I usually work during the day, but recently I thought I’d try night shifts. On my fourth night shift in a row (didn’t know this was a bad idea), I dosed off for 10 min, my client's wife came in the living room and saw me and was so upset. I apologized endlessly bc that’s all I could do. She said “this won’t happen again,” “I don’t pay you to sleep,” “I pay too much money for you to not be awake.” She said she tried to yell my name to take her husband to the bathroom. I’m extremely worried I’m going to lose my job over this. It’s the first time something like this has ever happened. Thoughts?
for 7 or 8 hours in the day time as you are going against the grain of nature. If you are on medication consider getting back on day work only as meds work far better in the day time. It is advisable to speak to your Boss, or Supervisor to explain what happened and why before the complaint is made by the Customer. Request a transfer to a different Patient as this will get that Lady off Your back and you will get a fresh start.
I worked nights for years. Worked days and nights. Nights and days. 8 on and 8 off round the clock. Midnight to Noon was no sweat. 10pm to 10am - terrible.
Can you sit so that leaning forward your head is on the patients bed while you nap? Lay your head on a counter and sleep standing up - it won’t last long but will freshen you up. A friend would light a ciggy butt and put it between his fingers. When it burned his fingers he woke up. Years ago when soldiers marched everywhere they’d sleep while marching. Unloading trailers at night I’d hoist a bag on one shoulder and grab a couple winks walking to the tailgate. There's lotsa tricks. Believe me you can train yourself to sleep 10 minutes. That nap is very important. Without it you might be completely rum dum and ineffective or -dead.
The flip side is your client is paying you and so one feels for what it is costing they should have reliable help, and you have clearly been hired to be up and alert to stand watch so your client can sleep, i.e. the spouse. She does not want to feel on edge and wants to get her sleep to probably be the caregiver during the day and well-rested to do it. Many on this site will suggest hiring so people can at least sleep through the night without concern.
Maybe you were coming down with something, maybe exhausted yourself...it's hard to stay up sometimes especially if you aren't doing something beyond just sitting there and how much can you do. It also sounds like you are, or at least were that night very sound asleep and did not hear anyone. So my idea of a baby monitor placed close to you wouldn't necessarily help.
So I can only hope that the client who hired you was otherwise pleased and will give you a 2nd chance, or you will find another job. All we can do is learn from our mistakes and go on. You just might not be a night shift kind of person.
Maybe you should ask your work from a new patient and start fresh.
I didn't pay for HomeHealthCare - but they didn't take my DH to the bathroom. I was responsible for his toilet needs.
Learn from this experience - but fatigue is fatigue and as I said, you are only human. You should get a 2nd chance. But it might be time to be moved to another patient, just for your own peace of mind. Speak with your supervisor. Don't wait for this woman to report you, talk to your supervisor on your own.
Some families encouraged me to get some rest while my client was asleep and some jobs were "awake" jobs, where you're expected to stay awake.
I don't think you committed a cardinal sin but I understand where the wife was coming from. If she was yelling your name from her bedroom to take your client to the bathroom, this says two things: the wife is a caregiver for her husband and is even caregiving from her bedroom during the night. She's wound up like a top and is suffering burnout. Secondly, if this woman and/or your company gives you a second chance with this client, beware because she will be breathing down your neck and micromanaging the care of her husband.
If you do another night shift, my suggestion is you drink a large coffee and bring crossword puzzles or other brain-stimulating activities. Things to do in the wee hours when it feels like you're going to die of exhaustion.
You made a mistake and everyone makes mistakes. You've apologized, that's all you can do. And you can be assured that you're not the only caregiver who has ever fallen asleep on the job.
Hang in there, this will pass. Let us know how it all turns out.
I had one experience with a home health aid and she 1) treated me as an interloper and 2) listened only to my husband, who didn’t want to do ANYTHING but sit around and chew the fat with her. She was gone the next week. Apparently she didn’t know who makes the financial decisions at chez Dizzy.
I doubt very much that you will be fired by the agency for taking on more than you could physically manage. It’s not as if you tried to shirk your duties. You fell asleep. I’m sure people have done that before.
I would offer this woman some help like folding laundry or organizing her pantry or tasks that are quiet but will keep you busy while you keep an ear out for her or her husband needing assistance.
Try not to worry because good CNAs are hard to find and, even if she does complain to your agency, an employee who owns their mistake and apologizes is becoming harder and harder to find.
Also remember that we are all human and we are humans taking care of other humans. Let she who is without sin cast the first stone. If she's unable to let go of this mistake, can you ask your agency for a new assignment?
Four shifts in a row sounds like a lot to me.
I would act pre-emptively and raise the issue ASAP with your agency, so they're not caught off guard. And ask them for any suggestions in adjusting to night-time work. That shows that you're attempting to address the different needs of night work.
And have you considered an alternate of working in a facility with more staff to respond in the event one person isn't available, and also where you're working with more experienced and hopefully professional supervisors?
I'm curious though, and just have a suspicion that this woman is not going to be easy to work for. Is "yelling" her primary means of communication when she needs something?
Also, you did apologize which was absolutely the correct response. I don’t know what else you could have done. Have you spoken to the agency that you work for to try to explain? Not sure if that would be helpful or not.
Do you think she will speak to the agency?
Do you want to continue working nursing nights or would you prefer to go back to days? Do you have other responsibilities during the day that you are not able to sleep? Trying to burn the candle at both ends which obviously won’t work for either you or your client.
I do understand your client being upset. I feel that you understand that as well or you wouldn’t be upset.
Tell us a little more. Did you feel like working at night would be an easier, less responsibility? You do still have to be available for when your client needs you so it’s imperative to sleep during the day.