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Can I get your opinion on a debate we are having at work?
Last night we had a pt call in who is scheduled for a study tonight. He wanted to know if he could sleep in as one it was the weekend, 2 he is extremely tired do to his bad sleep and 3 He did not think that the normal 6 hours of mandatory sleep time would be enough for him to be awake enough to drive home.
!st tech- No we are required to leave by 7. the latest we can let you sleep is 6.
2nd tech- AS we have already worked 12 hours it is very hard for us to do this.
3rd-tech-Yes, these pts are coming in already sleep deprived. we are honor bound to help them get a good nights sleep.
4th tech-No do to the extra work that this adds to the end of our already long night we are not allowd to do this.
5th tech- I don't care!
What is your opinion on this? Should patients be allowed to sleep in? What about the weekends when the majority of labs don't have a day tech. Keep in mind that all of these are valid arguements from a tech's point of view.
!st tech- No we are required to leave by 7. the latest we can let you sleep is 6.
2nd tech- AS we have already worked 12 hours it is very hard for us to do this.
3rd-tech-Yes, these pts are coming in already sleep deprived. we are honor bound to help them get a good nights sleep.
4th tech-No do to the extra work that this adds to the end of our already long night we are not allowd to do this.
5th tech- I don't care!
What is your opinion on this? Should patients be allowed to sleep in? What about the weekends when the majority of labs don't have a day tech. Keep in mind that all of these are valid arguements from a tech's point of view.
Views: 71
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Duane McDade on
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In those cases I say yes, absolutly. I will talk to you when you wake up!! 1.) The patient gets upset if you tell them no if they have a this sleep plan. 2.) You know they will wake up around 3-5 times an hour anyhow, and if a REM is in the right place, so be it. 3.) you don't have to tell them what time it is untill after they've finished the morning paperwork...... See everyone's happy ....I hope.
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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Well, I would think that the sleep lab owner/manager's policy rules might have some strong influence on just what the tech can do. Our local hospital does MSLTs on weekends as well as during the week.
Once past that, God bless the sleep tech willing to stay over for the patient to sleep in IF that should occur - especially if the tech is the one that must then remain after to clean up, change bedding, etc., etc. on their own time w/o extra pay after having already put in 12 hours.
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Permalink Reply by Daniel on
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From a professional standpoint, sleeping in on weekends is considered bad sleep hygiene, regardless of the presence or absence of sleep apnea, and it should not be encouraged.
One lab I work with has a policy of ending all sleep studies at 5:30 am, which for many people, feels like the dead of night. They run a very lean organization and management will not tolerate overtime pay for the techs.
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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
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Thanks for the input. all are very good answers. Like I said there is really no wrong answer. Just a little debate we have been having at work. i personally do not mind giving a patient a little extra tlc. My labs policy just states do not go over 40 hours. Being that we are scheduled 3 12s we have a little leway.
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If a person is used to sleeping 6-10 hours at home. I do not think that an extra hour or so at a sleep lab would really be considered sleeping in. I do agree with your statement sleeping in is bad hygiene. I just don't feel that this situation qualifies as the same.
Daniel Levy said:From a professional standpoint, sleeping in on weekends is considered bad sleep hygiene, regardless of the presence or absence of sleep apnea, and it should not be encouraged.
One lab I work with has a policy of ending all sleep studies at 5:30 am, which for many people, feels like the dead of night. They run a very lean organization and management will not tolerate overtime pay for the techs.
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Permalink Reply by Banyon on
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No. If the person is that sleepy, he should arrange for someone to drive him to and from the lab.
This guy may understand very little about a sleep lab and how it operates. He may not understand that you guys have been working 12 hours and would like to go home. I would explain it to him gently. If he is a reasonable person he will understand and voluntarily withdraw his request.
If he doesn't understand, a persuasively spoken "No" is in order.
Sign me,
A Patient
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Well, 5th tech needs an attitude adjustment. Even the addition of an "I'm sorry" wouldn't make up for that "I don't care" remark. If I were an owner/manager I wouldn't try to hold on to his tech.
The 2nd tech's remark would probably work w/many such patients and help them realize what an imposition their request is.
4th tech's answer is completely reasonable, altho the No could be softened a little.
1st tech's answer is reasonable, but could be softened by eliminating the No.
3rd tech is a sweetheart - but could "burn out" real easy and needs to watch for patients who like to take advantage when they can..
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Judy I am sorry. these were not replies to the patient. They replies among ourselves. In this case we actually explained to the pt that we all work 12 hours and are very tired in the morning. The longest we will usually allow a pt to sleep is 6-6:30 in rare cases with shift workers being an exception. The 5th tewch is a single college student whom it really did not matter to iether way. I personally have argued all of the above depending on my mood and the amount of sleep I have gotten that week. I have heard many views on this from varias forums. I just wnated to here the pt side.
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I understood that, Rock Hinkle. I still don't like the attitude of the 5th tech. And that tech is not a tech I would try very hard to hold on to if I were the lab manager/owner. If I had to lay staff off the 5th tech would be the first to go. As lab manager/owner I would be evaluating these responses and be pleased w/the response of the other 4 techs. Assuming their skills are up to par or better I'd work hard to keep these 4. As a patient I appreciate the 4 techs and would be happy w/any of them. I''m willing to bet my instincts would pick up on the 5th tech's attitude even tho I didn't make such a request.
I tend to agree w/Banyon and jnk about a designated driver. We are told that at the time of the scheduling for something like an endoscopy or colonoscopy and the staff actually checks that that person is available at the time you come in for the procedure. And if their driver is NOT available when the patient is ready for release the patient is taken to the family waiting room and not given release papers until the driver shows up. If the patient walks out on their own w/o those release papers it amounts to AMA - against medical advice.
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From a professional standpoint, sleeping in on weekends is considered bad sleep hygiene, regardless of the presence or absence of sleep apnea, and it should not be encouraged.
One lab I work with has a policy of ending all sleep studies at 5:30 am, which for many people, feels like the dead of night. They run a very lean organization and management will not tolerate overtime pay for the techs.
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