Nurses not taking breaks

Nurses Relations

Published

What is it with nurses not taking their breaks? No matter where they work, whether it be hospital, community etc we seem to have a problem. I understand that they have a lot of work to do but surely its more important to take a break and recuperate which will lessen the chance of mistakes been made. I feel refreshed when I take forty five mins which I must emphasize is on my own outside of the building. I almost feel angry that this time is not catered for due to the culture we work in - like guilty sheep. When will there ever be a stop to this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency.

Not until there's adequate staffing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Skilled Rehab Nurse.
Not until there's adequate staffing.

Exactly. If I don't have a CNA, I'm alone all night and have no one to relieve me in one of the units I work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Dialysis, Hospice.

I am one who has skipped lunch when I was working because it was either that or stay over. I wanted to be home more than I wanted to sit down for lunch at work, so I skipped it, stuffed some food into my mouth in the break room between tasks, and went home ASAP. I did this a lot when I worked acute dialysis because those 15+ hour days are brutal. It made no sense to me to sit down alone and eat a leisurely 30-45 min. meal when I could be getting my work done and go home and be with my family sooner.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

At my first med/surg job, as a new graduate, I had 8 patients (and an LVN with 8 patients assigned to me, as well). The charge nurses were also assigned 8 patients and had very little time to help anyone.

I knew I was entitled to take my break(s), but I also knew that there would be an absolute train wreck waiting for me when I came back. No one had time to cover for anyone- we couldn't even keep up with our own patients. Coming back to an infiltrated K+ IV, critical labs, a patient on the floor, an irate patient who's been waiting for pain medication, an admission who's just been parked in their room to wait for me, overdue medication, etc. was even more stressful than just working straight through. I also felt bad asking anyone to even attempt to cover me because I could see that they were all drowning just like I was.

Thank goodness things are much better at my present job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Where I work we ALWAYS get our breaks. It is expected and you can be chastised for not going. Nothing is that important that the others can't cover.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PCCN.
Where I work we ALWAYS get our breaks. It is expected and you can be chastised for not going. Nothing is that important that the others can't cover.

Do they provide staffing for this?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Well I'm not the only nurse on the floor if that's what you mean. The ones left on the floor cover while the others go.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
Not until there's adequate staffing.

And when we have adequate staffing. They place some on call or call them off. No matter what they look at numbers not acuity and will work us to death either way. Either way you're gonna do the job of four people and either way you're not deserving of a lunch or breaks. You can't win!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
What is it with nurses not taking their breaks? No matter where they work, whether it be hospital, community etc we seem to have a problem. I understand that they have a lot of work to do but surely its more important to take a break and recuperate which will lessen the chance of mistakes been made. I feel refreshed when I take forty five mins which I must emphasize is on my own outside of the building. I almost feel angry that this time is not catered for due to the culture we work in - like guilty sheep. When will there ever be a stop to this.

We get a whole 30min and we need to have staff to cover our patients to leave the floor. So, what are we supposed to do? If we leave the building with no one covering our patients it's abandonment. So, we seldom get to take our breaks. I work nights. Days gets an hour.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

I only take breaks if forced. At my job there is no defined end time. (I don't work at a hospital.) We work until the last patient goes home and everything is counted, cleaned up, put away. So I'd rather work straight through so I can get home at a decent hour. Lately, they've been enforcing the rule that we must break 30 minutes for every 8 hours worked. I don't mind breaking if the doctor is on a break and we can't do anything until he or she comes back anyway. Other than that, I'll plow through if given a choice. Whenever I go on a break I always think of numerous things I could be doing instead that would make the rest of the day go more smoothly. However, there are times when I get very hungry or thirsty. At those times, I just need about 10 or 15 minutes to have a snack.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Infection Control, Med/Surg, LTC.

What's a break? Never in over 40 years of nursing did I ever have coverage for a break. Now retired I have a part time gig at a pet shop that I LOVE. The first day they walked up to me and said 'Go take your 15 minutes' I almost fainted. And I only work 4 to 5 hour shifts (about 15 hours a week).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment