Do you get your breaks?

Judy, RN BSN · Dec 28, 2002

When I worked in a med/surg unit we never got 15 minute breaks, even though we were supposed to. I always took my lunch break (30 minutes unpaid). Just another part of nursing that sucks!

deespoohbear · Dec 28, 2002

I have decided anymore, I am taking taking my break....screw it...unless I am involved in a code blue or some other critical situation, I intend on having my lunch break. All 30 minutes of it. Hell, management makes darn sure they get their breaks. I am entitled to the same courtesy....The other day my manager got smart with me because I was leaving the floor to take my break. I had a fresh T & A back from surgery and new admit coming. I got the first set of vitals on my post-op and went to lunch. My manager said something about me leaving, and I just snapped back "I am entitled to my break and by God I am going to take it." And went to eat.....I am going to watch out for numero uno from now on.....

Chuckie · Dec 28, 2002

They are big on people getting there breaks where I work. Most nurses I hav worked with take advantage of the manditory breaks. More often than not we have nurses wait two hours for patients to come into recovery room then when we get business they say they need to take their "official break". I have worked at several jobs that this has happened not just recovery.

Vailgang · Jan 3, 2003

I work in an office and don't take a break. That was my choice though. If we work through lunch I get off a little earlier and I am all for that. The front office does take 30 minutes for lunch but he doctors and I don't take a break.

I remember when I did work on the floor, rarely did I get a break. We couldn't mark that we didn't take break. If we didn't take it too bad, they still deducted it anyway.

Jill

KELLYGIRL · Jan 4, 2003

I work at a LTC facility. They want us to take @ least 15 min and then a 30 min. lunch break. Yeah right! I often find myself never eating or even peeing for a whole shift. By the time I get home I'm running for the bathroom. POOR BLADDER!!! When I do eat, it's usually at or near the nurse's station because I'm always called back to the desk during my break. I have had patients actually steal my food when I was paged for an emergent situation. I come back to nothing but crumbs and a happy patient. Oh well. That's when I go home and raid the fridge. Oh yeah....regardless of whether or not you take your lunch break, the 30 min. is taken off your check... even if you spend your time with a patient or family member or ...God forbid... making rounds with the doctor.....who smells like he just came from eating his lunch at the local steakhouse restaurant...

ohbet · Jan 5, 2003

I seldom get my morning and afternoon break and sometimes miss my lunch break,although I will stop and take a quick snack.

My new year resolution is to take up smoking cigarrettes because the nurses that smoke ALWAYS get their morning and afternoon breaks,plus they sneak a break in after they eat there lunch. I think Ill be much more relaxed once I pick up the smoking habit because then Ill be able to get my breaks.

Am I thinking correctly?

TYGGER · Jan 5, 2003

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Whats that? :eek:

Seriously, I work every weekend in an ER and when I worked in the ICU we rarely if ever get breaks...at least rarely get lunch breaks.

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Jan 5, 2003

Originally posted by nimbex
On any shift, any day, I could justify not taking my breaks! Fact is unless YOU TAKE CARE OF YOU no one else will. Unless you take care of you, you cannot take good care of your patients. You would tell family to go and eat.... that means you too!

Thank you.

sbic56, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2003

Originally posted by nimbex
On any shift, any day, I could justify not taking my breaks! Fact is unless YOU TAKE CARE OF YOU no one else will. Unless you take care of you, you cannot take good care of your patients. You would tell family to go and eat.... that means you too!

This is great advice in theory, but as most of us can attest to, it just doesn't work with our current system on some days. I am really only hurting myself somedays if I take breaks as the work multiplies when I'm not looking:eek: Granted, if there were someone to take my place while I took a break that would be one thing, but that isn't a reality most days. For reasons like this, I love the way some of the Australian nurses have stated this has been resolved. Paying time and a half until a break happens motivates the facility to make sure the nurses are getting their breaks, as it hits them in the pocket, otherwise. There are very few professions where this practice occurs. In fact, I can't think of another one.

megmermaid · Jan 5, 2003

I always keep a Slim Fast Meal on the Go bar in my bag because there are days when I can't get off the unit at all. I work 12 hour shifts,too. Yesterday was 15.5 hours--I did get lunch, though. Too tired to type anymore...

jude11142 · Jan 5, 2003

I work in a LTCF and when I first started there, I was shocked to hear that they give you a lunch break and it's paid for. LOL, well after the first week there, I understood why they pay you for them, it's because half of the time you don't get one. There isn't anyone to relieve you, so if you are real busy(usually)then you don't get one. The times that I do take a lunch, it is always disrupted, so basically you are forced to rush through your dinner. As for breaks, there is no written rule. We are able to take a morning and afternoon break as long as we have things under control(lol). For me, the breaks are more important than the half hr lunch because I smoke, so I rather be able to fit in a break in morning and break in afternoon if I am on days. Many of the other nurses do the same. Many eat while charting etc......I can't really complain because it's pretty laid back where I work and as long as we are doing what needs to be done and we respect not only our patients but our coworkers then nobody is complaining about when and if somebody takes a break.

JUDE

finallyRN · Jan 5, 2003

Our shift leaders are usually really good about getting everyone their breaks. Our cafeteria opens for the night at 11:00 pm, so she usually starts sending people at 11 and rotating breaks. It is rarely a problem unless you are pushing with a patient for a long time and don't want to leave.