No Lunch Break

Nurses General Nursing

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Im a nursing student and also a health nut. I really like to treat my body well by eating healthy meals every 4 hours or so. I have heard some stories about nurses going an entire shift with no lunch break. How common is this?

Signed,

The perpetual snacker http://images.allnurses.com/smilies/specs.gif

Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

Its very common unfortunately. And as far as munching while charting...we were not allowed to have food/drinks at the nurses station so that was not an option for us and we could not leave the nurses station with paperwork. But we all finally got together and took turns going to the cafeteria and actually sat and ate. We would watch each other's patients and take turns so that we all got a decent lunch.

And I do agree, we do need to take a stand. We take care of others, but we do HAVE to take care of ourselves to be able to do that.

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I'm not a "health nut," but I eat healthy. I don't always take a full 30 minutes in the breakroom, but I eat during 99% of my shifts. The key is to bring several things to eat, none of them large. I usually have a snack around 2100, when I start my charting, then dinner between 0100 and 0300, depending on my schedule for the night and the stability of my pts. My lunch box always has a small leftover entree (think vegetarian pasta), a yogurt, and a cheese product (cottage, string, whatever I've bought), and usually a salad or some fruit. I eat the fruit/salad with either the yogurt or cheese the first time I get free time to chart, and then if my patients become busy or unstable I know that I've already eaten something that night. I take a full break later if they're stable, or eat at my station if they're not (I work ICU). Either way, I keep myself healthy by bringing in real food from home instead of hitting McDonald's or the vending machines. It's really not that difficult, and I've been doing it for a year and a half now. You just have to plan ahead, and prep some meals in advance. Good luck!

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I work in the ER as well, 7P-7A, and IF I get a lunch break it typically isn't until at least 2-3 AM. Often I don't get one at all, and forget any other breaks. I barely get time to pee twice a shift. I do get paid if I don't get lunch though.

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Specializes in jack of all trades.

Lunch, breaks of any sort> what's that. I barely had time to go pee!!!

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Bladder of steel is me.

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

It is common. Here is why. We have only 3 minutes to answer a patient's call light. With a patient load of 6-7, there is always someone on the call light. We have a beeper and we have a portable phone. These 2 contraptions are going off constantly. A family member is calling about a patient. A doctor is calling back because you need an order. Telemetry is calling about leads or a problem. A patient is calling for pain med or potty or water or ice or help or something. Then there are meds due almost every hour and somewhere in all this we are to find a way to chart. Then there are all the orders, many of which are stat and "stat" doesn't wait for you to go eat for 30 min. You just keep handlling one thing and then another. You think "I'm going to lunch as soon as I get this done". But, you have 2 more "stats" waiting for you when you get that done and before you know it, it is almost shift change and you still have not charted or eaten. Surg calls and they are coming for your patient and you still need to finish the paper work. Surg is calling and they are bringing back your patient and you have to be there to receive your patient. MRI calls and they are ready for you to bring them your patient NOW. Dr So-IN-SO needs to see you at the front desk NOW. You get the picture.

Forget labor laws. The hospital will tell you that THEY are not the ones keeping you from taking your break or lunch. It is your decision and your time management skills that keep you from taking your break.

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Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.
It is common. Here is why. We have only 3 minutes to answer a patient's call light. With a patient load of 6-7, there is always someone on the call light. We have a beeper and we have a portable phone. These 2 contraptions are going off constantly. A family member is calling about a patient. A doctor is calling back because you need an order. Telemetry is calling about leads or a problem. A patient is calling for pain med or potty or water or ice or help or something. Then there are meds due almost every hour and somewhere in all this we are to find a way to chart. Then there are all the orders, many of which are stat and "stat" doesn't wait for you to go eat for 30 min. You just keep handlling one thing and then another. You think "I'm going to lunch as soon as I get this done". But, you have 2 more "stats" waiting for you when you get that done and before you know it, it is almost shift change and you still have not charted or eaten. Surg calls and they are coming for your patient and you still need to finish the paper work. Surg is calling and they are bringing back your patient and you have to be there to receive your patient. MRI calls and they are ready for you to bring them your patient NOW. Dr So-IN-SO needs to see you at the front desk NOW. You get the picture.

Forget labor laws. The hospital will tell you that THEY are not the ones keeping you from taking your break or lunch. It is your decision and your time management skills that keep you from taking your break.

I fully agree with this post. What type of unit do you work in?

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

Med-surg that specializes in Neuro and GI

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