break? what's a break?

Nurses Safety

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Hello all,

My name is Jenna. I have been an RN for two years (yes, still a youngin'). I worked as a nurse in Syracuse, NY on a med/surg unit then transferred to a CVPCU in Florida. The two hospitals are COMPLETELY different. As some of you may know, NY is (but trying to rule out the use) using LPNs as bedside assistants to RNs. In Florida, however, LPNs do not work in hospitals. You have a CNA that is assigned to 8-10 patients. In NY I rarely had an issue taking my breaks. Could be because the demands of the floor and the extra help I got, but in Florida I find myself, along with my co-workers, RARELY taking lunch breaks. That's almost 14 hours of no eating or drinking! The system that is supposed to be "enforced" is the buddy system. Each RN is assigned to their 4-5 patients. In the morning you find out who your buddy is and communicate with them about when you'll be taking lunch. Essentially, they are responsible for your 4-5 patients.. in ADDITION to their 4-5 patients. 10 patients on a CVPCU floor?! Not too safe... especially multiple 18 hour post open heart patients.

The purpose of me writing this is to reach out to all of you and learn what break systems your hospitals enforce and if they are successful. I'm looking to help make some changes on my floor to better the experience for myself and my coworkers. I would really appreciate all the help I can get!

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That's how it is in Illinois on the floor. No food, no break, no bathroom. I work outpatient now while I'm in NP school and it's glorious.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Where I work you always get your breaks. They are assigned by the charge nurse and they are at specific times. The others cover your people while you are gone. On nights you sleep on your break.

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I have worked in two community hospital ER's. In neither do we get a break. We just wolfed down our lunch in the break room. When we tried to put in for no lunch, management said we had to make time for a break. That our coworkers had to take over our patients for 30 minutes. Really! They could takeover 4 additional patients?!. You would just be behind the rest of the shift. We are there for 12-13 hours with no break. They just don't get it, nor do they care. Where I work now is much less busy, so there is time for a break. But we still don't leave the ER.

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Specializes in ED,Ambulatory.

This is why I left the ED. Went to work in Ambulatory Care and we take 2, maybe 3 post endo or One Day patients AND almost never miss lunch breaks. Best of all, patients actually thank us! We allow ourselves to be shat upon. I used to be angry, now I'm out! And out for good in a matter of days. Good Luck.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Hospice,IV Therapy.

A unit I worked on when I worked in the hospital was purposely staffed by our manager with no lunch relief, when we called her asking for lunch relief we were told to "Have the unit secretary go get you some food" and if we brought food we were not allowed to eat it anywhere !

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Specializes in Registered Nurse.

I get lunch about half the time these days. The other nurse(s) would cover me for a short break IF it was not a a busy night..but most are busy nights to the point of most not getting the 30 min break. Also, I may just cover myself on break...meaning the CNA would come and get me, if needed. I always will run and get some water. That only takes seconds.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

Management is not going to consider your lack of a break a problem unless the overworked staff make it management's problem.

Of course, nurses who make problems for management are often targeted.

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