A nurse has noticed several occasions in the past week when another nurse on the unit seemed drowsy and unable to focus on the issue at hand. Today, the nurse was found asleep in a chair in the break room not during a break time. Which action should the nurse take?

A nurse has noticed several occasions in the past week when another nurse on the unit seemed drowsy and unable to focus on the issue at hand. Today, the nurse was found asleep in a chair in the break room not during a break time. Which action should the nurse take?

• A. Alert the American Nurses Association
• B. Fill out an incident report
• C. Report the observations to the nurse manager on the unit
• D. Leave the nurse alone to sleep

Answer: (C)

The key issue is protecting patient safety when a colleague shows signs of fatigue that could impair performance. Drowsiness and difficulty focusing can slow reaction times and judgment, increasing the risk of errors. When you see a nurse who is drowsy, and then finds them sleeping in the break room during work, the responsible step is to report what you observed to the nurse manager on the unit. The supervisor can assess fitness for duty, adjust assignments, arrange a break or coverage, and determine any further actions needed. This approach uses the proper chain of command and ensures the situation is handled with appropriate documentation and follow-up. Alerting the American Nurses Association isn’t the right channel for an on-the-spot safety issue on a unit. An incident report can be part of the formal process if an event occurs, but the immediate priority is to notify leadership so patient care is safeguarded. Leaving the nurse alone to sleep is unsafe for both the nurse and the patients.

The key issue is protecting patient safety when a colleague shows signs of fatigue that could impair performance. Drowsiness and difficulty focusing can slow reaction times and judgment, increasing the risk of errors. When you see a nurse who is drowsy, and then finds them sleeping in the break room during work, the responsible step is to report what you observed to the nurse manager on the unit. The supervisor can assess fitness for duty, adjust assignments, arrange a break or coverage, and determine any further actions needed. This approach uses the proper chain of command and ensures the situation is handled with appropriate documentation and follow-up.

Alerting the American Nurses Association isn’t the right channel for an on-the-spot safety issue on a unit. An incident report can be part of the formal process if an event occurs, but the immediate priority is to notify leadership so patient care is safeguarded. Leaving the nurse alone to sleep is unsafe for both the nurse and the patients.