Diabetic RN and working 12's?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

Hi everyone, I have a bit of a balancing act and need some advice from those of you that do this. I work 12 hour dayshifts in ICU. As you expect, it is crazy busy and you rarely get a break or moment to even run to the bathroom. I've been doing this for a while, so I know what to expect out of my workdays. Problem I have now is, I am a newly diagnosed diabetic. I am trying to adjust to all the changes in my life, but I am finding I am having problems on my workdays. I try to eat before I go in, but the long day is difficult for me to manage.

Those of you who are diabetic and work 12's, any tips or ideas? Thanks so much in advance!

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I work with a nurse who is diabetic but idk how he does it because he's works so much. I know for sure he take lunch at 11 everyday but in the ICU i doubt that is possible.

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Specializes in Oncology.

What type of diabetes were you diagnosed with, and how is it being treated? I'm a type 1 diabetic who works 12s, using an insulin pump.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I am type 2 diabetic and I just take a break and grab a bite when I know I need to.Busy or not you need to take care of yourself.You will do no one any good if your blood sugar is crashing. My coworkers know I am diabetic and the floor I work on is very good about making sure we all get an uninterupted break even if we are busy.

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

Type II here. Trying diet mods first (mostly because I asked to try before going to insulin). Doing a lot of testing and logging of BG's to trend when I go back to endo. I was predisposed due to heredity and I believe it finally caught me. I have lost weight, so on that front I thought I had dodged the bullet but genetics can be hard to fight.

I am pretty private when it comes to personal things like this at work, but I guess I am going to have to say something. I just know I can't keep up not taking a lunch or break but it happens more often than not. I was told when I took this position by the staff member that oriented me to not expect a break, it doesnt happen. I feel like if I ask for a break I will be pushed out of a position I enjoy with the "inability to perform duties" rap.

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Type II here. Trying diet mods first (mostly because I asked to try before going to insulin). Doing a lot of testing and logging of BG's to trend when I go back to endo. I was predisposed due to heredity and I believe it finally caught me. I have lost weight, so on that front I thought I had dodged the bullet but genetics can be hard to fight.

I am pretty private when it comes to personal things like this at work, but I guess I am going to have to say something. I just know I can't keep up not taking a lunch or break but it happens more often than not. I was told when I took this position by the staff member that oriented me to not expect a break, it doesnt happen. I feel like if I ask for a break I will be pushed out of a position I enjoy with the "inability to perform duties" rap.

Actually you have a disability and are entitled to the rights and protection of the Americans with Disabilities Act. And in most states and according to federal law, you are entitled to a meal beak and coffee breaks. You will want to check with an attorney, who specializes in disability employees, for advice. You can call your state's bar association and get the name of three. One will see you on an initial consult for a low set fee. You employer must provide accommodations for your disability. This is one they can't get out of.:yeah:

GrannyRN5

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Actually you have a disability and are entitled to the rights and protection of the Americans with Disabilities Act. And in most states and according to federal law, you are entitled to a meal beak and coffee breaks. You will want to check with an attorney, who specializes in disability employees, for advice. You can call your state's bar association and get the name of three. One will see you on an initial consult for a low set fee. You employer must provide accommodations for your disability. This is one they can't get out of.:yeah:

GrannyRN5

Actually, you do not have a disability; you simply have a managable condition that can quite easily be handled within your current work environment. You need a quiet place (think: your lounge) where you test your sugars. Then, eat, rest and administer insulin as needed. Done, go back to work. I work with a type I diabetic nurse who has not had a problem taking breaks as needed or scheduled in the ICU during her 20 year career.

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Actually, you do not have a disability; you simply have a managable condition that can quite easily be handled within your current work environment. You need a quiet place (think: your lounge) where you test your sugars. Then, eat, rest and administer insulin as needed. Done, go back to work. I work with a type I diabetic nurse who has not had a problem taking breaks as needed or scheduled in the ICU during her 20 year career.

For the purposes of job protection, diabetes does qualify as a protected disability under the ADA.

The reasonable accommodation aspect can include sufficient break time to test blood glucose and eat. We are all entitled to break time by law, but many don't feel they can fight for it. Diabetics may have to if they want to keep good control of their health.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

It's a shame that diabetics have to resort to the ADA to be able to survive in nursing. Working nurses to the bone where you cannot eat or use the bathroom for twelve hours is simply a demonstration of barbaric greed by management, whether a nurse is diabetic or not!

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One thing I have noticed in my 30 years of working is that the smokers always make sure they take their breaks, those of us that don't smoke rarely take one, and say we can't because we are too busy. I am a diabetic, and would not consider going to an attorney before seeing what could be worked out on my own. Look around at your co-workers, are there any of them that take a break while you don't? If nothing else, have your glucometer and strips in your pocket and check it when you go to the bathroom! LOL that is when I check my phone for messages!

As for keeping things personal - I understand this, but one day I took the wrong insulin by accident - it is very important that your co-workers know you are diabetic so that if something happens checking your blood sugar is the first thing they do!

It is manageable, thousands of us do it daily - you will get your own routine down! Find some kind of food and snacks that you can eat on the go - maybe you can't sit down for a meal, but you sure can eat something while setting up meds or doing that never ending charting!

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For the purposes of job protection, diabetes does qualify as a protected disability under the ADA.

The reasonable accommodation aspect can include sufficient break time to test blood glucose and eat. We are all entitled to break time by law, but many don't feel they can fight for it. Diabetics may have to if they want to keep good control of their health.

Not "feeling" you can fight for your rights under the law does NOT qualify you as disabled. Take your darned breaks and let your supervisors fight it out in the courts. The reasonable accomodation DOES include sufficient break time. It MANDATES 30 minutes for 4 hours of work, in an 8.5 hour day. Don't you understand your state law? Don't you know that this is not a priveledge, but a right? If you tell you supervisors you are taking a break, do you not realize it is up to THEM to find coverage? Please, call NNU if you have questions, and research your state and contract rules. This is not right, and you should not be pressured into going without your breaks.

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One thing I have noticed in my 30 years of working is that the smokers always make sure they take their breaks, those of us that don't smoke rarely take one, and say we can't because we are too busy. I am a diabetic, and would not consider going to an attorney before seeing what could be worked out on my own. Look around at your co-workers, are there any of them that take a break while you don't? If nothing else, have your glucometer and strips in your pocket and check it when you go to the bathroom! LOL that is when I check my phone for messages!

As for keeping things personal - I understand this, but one day I took the wrong insulin by accident - it is very important that your co-workers know you are diabetic so that if something happens checking your blood sugar is the first thing they do!

It is manageable, thousands of us do it daily - you will get your own routine down! Find some kind of food and snacks that you can eat on the go - maybe you can't sit down for a meal, but you sure can eat something while setting up meds or doing that never ending charting!

I worked in ICU's in the 60's, 70's and 80's, in two different states. I was responsible for two to four critically ill patients, and I and the other nurses always got our meal breaks. One of the problems with nursing today, IMHO, is that nurses have allowed management to take away items that we are guaranteed by law. We accepted anything that managements decides to take away, then moan and groan about how unfairly we are treated. In another thread, nurses complain about missing or broken equipment, administration's failure to replace them but provide flat screen TV's to patients and spend our own funds to ensure we have the necessary equipment to give patient care. One thing I've learn, in forty years of practice, management will walk all over us, when we allow them to. I never did and if I were still working, I still would not. I value myself too much, to lay down like a rug. And be walked all over.

GrannyRN655

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