Does anybody ever have problems with nursing home staff falling asleep on the job at night?

The suggestion that you speak with primary physician is sometimes difficult. They spend 5-15 minutes with each patient then ask the nurse how many hours did they sleep. The doctors often won't accept phone calls from families because they don't want to be tied up. They want to see as many patients and get paid as much money as they can. They typically work 8-4 so they are not direct witness to the nurse allegations. I'm still insulted you state the nursing staff "'makes your life hell". Why put all nurses in that category? Are you there at night?

I take care of my Mom and sleep in same room. Yes, I do sleep at times. Mom is now in diapers this past 4-6 weeks. I thought of your question over recent week as I am in this new diaper situation. I try to change her just before I know she is sleeping through the night. Not unusual that she is not changed during the night. Not practical. I am not waking up for that nor is mom. Not that I wouldn't if mom required or requested it. I would not be able to accept these health issues that have developed! My friend's husband has MS and she took superb care of him until he had to be put in a nursing home. Within one month he had UTI and bed sores. Almost died because the bedsore hole went so deep. She got him back to health by moving him to another nursing home. A really great place! Even there she had to insist strongly and repeatedly on certain matters regarding his care. She got an advocate and meetings with nursing home management supervisors etc. She made them aware that she would be relentless in his having proper care. They did what was needed and he is thriving and happy there. He is paralyzed below the waist and something as simple as keeping his water bottle within reach was not happening among other issues. What I am saying is you need to be relentless with the supervisors and management. Don't let anyone be complacent about her care! Most nurses and doctors are fabulous and some just need a reminder that they can be.

I understand original poster is venting. It's that so many of responses are agreeing with accusations and automatically suggesting nurses are sleeping and telling patients to soil themselves. That's ridiculous. And unless you are there to witness what night shift entails it's unfair to accuse nurses of neglect. And I seriously doubt the nurse who "takes turns" sleeping at night is inaccurate. Many times as a nurse I would not even be able to eat, drink or use the bathroom. While a family member is sleeping at home and comes in and makes that assessment is sad. I agree. Complain, complain, complain. It works. The squeaky wheel that threatens to sue ( although the nurses won't be affected it is the hospital and physician. We are very low on totem poll). It does make our supervisor to demand certain things. I had a very obese ( over 400 pound patient.....hoyer lift with 4 people). patient who had a family that was always complaining. They DEMANDED their mother get scheduled medication before all other patients. She was prescribed a Tylenol and multivitamin. I had patients on insulin and had to administer that when food trays came up 15 minutes before they ate. We nurses all knew our day was going to be a bad one when assigned to the complaining/obese patient. Of course when I only had two staff available to help lift and needed extra they all left the room. But she did get her Tylenol first. The squeaky wheel will get the grease. We celebrated the day she transferred to live with her family. Family couldn't handle it...patient died within 2 months.

Martina Marie, of course we all are eternally grateful for all the great nurses! But, it has been my experience that the really good ones never defend the greater number of caregivers who are horrible. Really now, can you honestly say that if you were paying someone to care for someone you truly love, and you walked in and found this loved one soaked, soiled and slumped over in a chair while the nurse or aide was sleeping while be paid to work, your thoughts would be turned to the one in ten who does a good job?

You are right. Most nurses are co-dependent and just "do" when others don't. I have witnessed mental health or nursing assistants sleeping in patients room. The patient usually on 1:1 due to assaultive or suicidal behavior. Often they pull any staff from hospital that wants an overtime shift to sit with a patient. The supervisor would do schedule for next shift. Heard supervisor say "we need a "BODY" to sit with a patient. If the person was not a health care professional they were not allowed to touch the patient. They would call out for the nurse. I did speak to supervisor stating first of all a BODY has a name, and if the person pulled from another unit wasn't allowed to touch the patient it really was not helpful. Hospital didn't care.

Nurses are usually not cost effective to sit with patient 1:1. Unless by private payee. Yes if I saw a paid nurse sleeping that was specifically hired to take care of that one patient I would be angry.