Rested Staff, Better Care: The Arc Mercer Pilots Innovative Overnight Sleep Shift Program

At the Arc Mercer, innovation isn't just about technology or new programs, it's about finding better ways to support both employees and the individuals they serve.

Over the past year, the Arc Mercer has been piloting an innovative overnight staffing model at one of its residential homes that allows overnight Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) to rest during their shift while maintaining continuous supervision and support for residents.

Under the program, two overnight staff members remain on duty throughout the night. While residents are asleep and all safety protocols are met, one staff member is permitted to rest for up to three hours while the other remains fully awake and responsible for monitoring the home, responding to resident needs, completing routine duties, and ensuring the safety of everyone in the residence. The staff then switch, allowing each employee an opportunity to recharge before the morning routine begins.

Most importantly, there is always an awake and active staff member on duty.

The pilot was designed to address one of the biggest challenges facing human service providers nationwide: overnight staff fatigue. By allowing employees to rest before the busiest part of their shift, the Arc Mercer is helping ensure staff are refreshed and focused when completing critical morning responsibilities such as medication administration, meal preparation, personal care supports, and transportation.

For DSP Judith Parks, a 20-year Arc Mercer employee, the difference has been significant.

"I feel more comfortable doing medications, I feel more comfortable doing transportation, it just feels safer with the consumers," she said.

Parks noted that the benefits extend beyond safety and task performance.

"We are more friendly with each other. We don't start our work with an attitude. I feel like we are more pleasant with the consumers," she explained. "When I'm giving medication, I'm more alert."

She believes the rest period has a direct impact on the quality of support residents receive.

"The consumers are in our hands, and we want to be safe with them. We feel more safe because we are getting that rest at night."

Shift Manager Moses Watson agrees. With many residents requiring medications and transportation early in the morning, he says being well-rested is critical.

"When you're dealing with human beings and dealing with medication, it's a very stressful job. You have to be very careful because people's lives are involved," Watson said. "You should be well refreshed in order to avoid any accidents."

The program has also created benefits beyond the workplace. Both employees reported feeling more energized after work, allowing them to spend more time with family, manage personal responsibilities, and return to work feeling less stressed.

"Since the sleep program was introduced, people are relaxed," Watson said. "The more relaxed you are, the less stressful the job is going to be."

For the Arc Mercer, the pilot represents a broader commitment to rethinking traditional workforce practices and creating an environment where employees can thrive while maintaining the highest standards of care.

As providers across the country continue searching for solutions to workforce shortages, recruitment challenges, and employee burnout, innovative programs like the overnight sleep shift offer a promising example of how organizations can support their teams while enhancing services for the people who depend on them.

For prospective employees considering overnight work, the program provides a unique benefit rarely found in the human services field.

"This is an opportunity you do not have with other jobs that work overnight shifts," Watson said. "You're going to do your job, and at the same time you're going to rest."

By investing in employee wellbeing, the Arc Mercer continues to explore innovative approaches that strengthen its workforce, improve quality of care, and ensure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive the safest and most effective support possible.