New Nurse can't eat lunch

[NightOwl0624]

I am wondering how other units handle their lunch breaks.

I work nights, and we have extremely flexible breaks during the work shift. Most of us don't really leave the floor, just get our food and eat in the conference room. We usually have enough down time in the wee hours of the morning to equal at least an hour break (if not more)

Some nurses do leave the floor, and they do it when they have caught up and only ask us to cover call lights. The other nurses are perfectly fine with that. Even though I don't choose to leave the floor, I am perfectly fine with those who do.

Anyway, this new nurse just gets off orientation and is getting really upset with the rest of us because "she's not allowed to get her break." She is having trouble with time management and still can barely get all of her stuff done that is required. We are more than happy to help her get her work done, but no one is willing to do her work for her while she goes off for an hour. For example, she will ask if I can cover her, then proceed to tell me that room 1 will need his pain medication in 15 minutes, room 2 still needs a dressing change, blah, blah, blah... I would never assume to go on break when there is still a lot of stuff to do with my own patients, especially in the middle of the night when these things should have already been done. We are trying to help her with her time management, but she will not listen to suggestions as she already knows everything there is to know about nursing!

Last night about 2 hours into her shift she asked me if she could take her break and wanted to give me report on her 5 patients. I told her I was too busy with my own 5 patients at that time and couldn't handle hers as well. She thinks I'm mean. I think if she is the only nurse on the unit that is having this problem, maybe it is a problem with her.

What do you think?

[Music in My Heart]

I just don't get it...

(I) would never think of expecting the nurse that covers me to pass a med or do anything for my patient...

Then what does it mean to you that someone is "covering" you?

When I'm being "covered" then that means essentially that the person covering me is *doing* the work that needs to be done... otherwise I'm not "covered."

except of course tend to the call bell

But if the relief is not going to pass meds or "do anything" then what does that even mean, just walking in, making sure the patient's not actively dying, and then saying, "your nurse will be with you in a bit?"

[Orange Tree]

I ask covering nurses to give pain medication on occasion. Sometimes I have a PRN that I know the patient will want in exactly 15 minutes, but the same situation with another patient/pain med in 35 minutes, Should I put off break for 40 minutes and hope that my new admit doesn't show up as I'm giving the second pain med? I would never expect a covering nurse to do my dressing changes or put down my NG tubes, but giving a med (scheduled or PRN) shouldn't be a huge deal unless the nurse you're asking is already overwhelmed.

I don't want my nursing buddies starving themselves because they're afraid to ask me to give a norco. I will give your norco. I might even get your patient an extra blanket. Go feed your weary self.

[Music in My Heart]

Someone else mentioned that they "maintain our ratios during breaks" (or close to it - forgive me if a word or two isn't quite right). Do y'all know what that MEANS?!?!? It means that the person covering your break is ONLY covering your patients - they don't have their own assignment! What a wonderful thing! It's done that way in California because of legislation mandating nurse-patient ratios.

And also because it's in our contract.

All in California, my first two jobs were non-union; this one is union... the union place is so much better... and our nurses are a great team who totally have each others' backs.

[NightOwl0624]

That is what I was wondering, how much do people expect the other nurses to do for them...

I don't want a detailed report on someone else's patients... just tell me who is a DNR, and who might need pain meds in the next hour. I don't mind answering call lights, toileting, things like that, but if you know that someone needs an antibiotic hung in 15 minutes, why wouldn't you do it yourself before you go?

Sometimes I have enough trouble keeping up with my own load!

That said, I LOVE the idea of a break nurse!!!

[Guest372004]

We have a "break nurse" who takes our pager for the 15 min break and 30 min dinner break. Since they are only "breaking" for that nurse, the "break nurse" is fine with giving a med or doing a dressing change. The "break nurse" just shows up and says "hand me your pager and what is going on"? Works well.

[sistasoul]

Does she know most nurses do not get "real lunches"? Meaning an actual 30 minutes away from patient care or charting?

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

I cover lights only and do prn medications , i don't do dressing changes, scheudled meds or anything else while someone is on break.

[Music in My Heart]

Does she know most nurses do not get "real lunches"? Meaning an actual 30 minutes away from patient care or charting?

While beside my point, I generally question "most" statements based on anecdotal evidence as opposed to hard data.

Regardless, do these "most" nurses eat the time (yes, pun intended) or are they compensated in accordance with federal labor law?

[reddog123]

"covering" another RN usually means watching for call bells, and dealing with anything out of the ordinary or unexpected, like a code. It doesn't mean DOING another RN's meds, treatments, etc. We do take breaks without all the work being done, depending on what time it is, what the work is that is unfinished.

I would speak with your charge nurse about it and maybe she can gently explain to the new RN how this traditionally works. Maybe the new RN could use a mentor for a month or two. It's hard being a new nurse for sure. But part of becoming a good nurse is learning from those who have been nurses longer. She will come to understand this eventually.

[Creamsoda, ASN, RN]

Some nurses whether they be new or experienced and lazy I have seen with this problem. Basically she just needs to be told that the expectation of break coverage are you get what you need done before you leave and when you get back finish what was ok to wait. Your job as the covering nurse is to get things that come up unexpectedly while she is gone, ex, call bells, cleaning up incontinent patients, helping to the bathroom ect. She probably just needs help understanding this concept. Maybe gently point out if she thinks she would have time to do your scheduled dressing changes, ect while you are on break. Completely silly that she thinks you guys should do that.

I worked with an experienced nurse and when he would go on his 30 minute break, he would be like, so can you do my glucose in 10 minutes and turn my other patient. ? Huh? well needless to say I didnt do it, I suggested he do the glucose now, and I can help him turn his patient when he gets back. He was notorious for being lazy

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

op. you are not mean. i can not stand working with people like this. we have a few new grads like this. a one time event where someone is swamped i will help out. because some times one nurse does get an awful assignment. but a constant event no, learn to work faster and more efficiently

[M/B-RN]

Sometimes we do things for each other, so the other person can finally eat. But it will be things like a PRN medication, answering yet another call light of a very needy patient, checking on a beeping IV pump, helping someone up to the bathroom, etc. Not things that you should've taken care of before going on break that was scheduled.

That is not being mean at all. I don't know what she is thinking!