THIS NOTICE DOES NOT APPLY TO LIVE-IN CASES
SLEEPING WHILE ON DUTY
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All Metro is committed to providing quality home care services and expects staff to act in a professional manner. Whether or not you are on a night shift, you have the responsibility for observing the condition of your patient and you cannot do that appropriately if you are asleep.
It may be very difficult to stay awake all night in a dark room watching somebody sleep, but this is no excuse… you are being paid to provide care to your patients while promoting an environment of safety and support. Any staff found to have been sleeping while on duty will face disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. 7 tips for staying awake during your shift: 
1. Drink plenty of water. Drinking water helps increase the oxygen in your blood which may increase alertness. Keep a bottle of water handy.
2. Keep your mind stimulated. Moments of inactivity can make it easy to doze off so you’ve got to keep your brain engaged. Whatever way you can keep your mind working (e.g., straightening up, organizing, etc.) can help keep you awake.
3. Stay moving. If you find yourself starting to doze off, a great strategy to stay awake is to find an activity that requires you to move around (e.g., light exercise) instead of being planted firmly in a chair.
4. Avoid fatigue. You can’t expect to stay awake all night if you’ve stayed awake all day. Respect your body’s need for sleep while off duty to ensure that you’re getting what you need to be productive during your shift.
5. Eat healthy meals. If you space out your eating and eat small healthy meals it will boost your metabolism and decrease the chances of an after-meal crash.
6. Refocus your thoughts. When your mind begins to wander to a soft bed, try to think of a high energy event instead.
7. Stay cool. Warming up triggers your body to slow down its processes. Keeping cool will help you stay alert.
IF YOU ARE WORKING A NIGHT SHIFT, YOU SHOULD BE CHECKING ON THE PATIENT EVERY 15 MINUTES |
