First a bit of background. There are a lot of posts about not having time to take rest and/or meal breaks- about working straight through a shift without even having a chance to use the restroom.
I do believe this happens, and have experienced it myself, where patient care demands are so great, or concern for patient safety is high enough, that the nurse does not feel they can afford to take their break let alone take a few minutes to empty their bladder. It does happen, it is true.
However.
I think there are many instances where the nurse could take their break without compromising patient safety, and yet they choose not to. They perceive themselves as "too busy" and can't break themselves away from the tasks at hand. Or, a break is offered when things are slower but the nurse is not ready to take their break then, so they don't go, then the floodgates open and the opportunity is lost.
I think when I was a newer nurse, I was more prone to this phenomenon. It was like I felt guilty for prioritizing my own needs and making my patients wait. I think it's also possible that nurses who aren't used to working in a high volume environment can be more prone to this too, so that when things get busy, they don't think they can go on a break, when they actually can. There are so many things that can wait. Everything doesn't have to get done *right now*.
I have coworkers that can't seem to peel themselves away, even when I'm telling them "Go, I've got this! Get out of here and go eat!". They are offered the opportunity, then *choose* not to go, and then complain about not getting breaks.
Example: Flood gates opened- everyone and their mother in law decided they needed to be seen in the ER right at that moment. We were full. But, we had nobody critical or unstable- most were clinic type patients, a few full workups but nothing remarkable. Co-worker is hungry and wants to go eat. Okay, great, tell me about your patients. Co-worker is frantic and starts to tell me about the ambulance patient we're expecting. Yes, I know. I took the call, remember? I got it. Tell me about your other patients. They're both stable, no new orders, one is getting fluids, the other waiting for the provider. Great. Go now. See you in a bit!
So I go in to settle the ambulance patient (not critical) and next thing I know, said coworker is in the room "helping" me. "I thought you were going on break", says I. "I'm just helping settle the patient, then I'll go" says she.
This is the slippery slope. "I'm just (fill in the blank), then I'll go". Famous last words.
I've settled dozens of ambulance patients by myself. I don't need help. I've got this. Take your dang break, for heaven's sake, or you might not get one at all!!!!!
I feel like it's a patient safety issue when you have a coworker who is so frazzled and frantic that they can't concentrate, who won't go on their break. I feel like I need to get firm with this coworker and tell them in no uncertain terms to GO ALREADY.
Agree or disagree? Why?