Breaks in the ER

RN92 · Sep 2, 2004

It all has to do with your charge nurse. A good charge nurse would see that every one gets their breaks/lunch. You should not have had to stay for the cardiac arrest that wasnt even there yet. Thats why we have SHIFTS, because there has to be a cut off time. If this really bothers you - you need to talk to your nurse manager. For the most part, management understands that they are legally responsible for their employees getting breaks and lunch. On the other hand, do you smoke? I get very upset when I see staff going outside to smoke every hour or so (the non-smokers have to cover their pts) - and then complaining because they dont get a break or lunch. I think people that dont smoke should get lunch first. You are new to the unit. Stand up for yourself and soon, once they get to know you better, they'll lighten up. Be very helpful to them and kill them with kindness in other ways. Its hard to not like someone who helps you when you're in a bind. If not, look for another unit to work in.

mattsmom81 · Sep 2, 2004

This same type of thing happens in the ICU...its like we are looked down on if we say we want to walk away for the 1/2 hr we are docked.

Fly4Life12 · Sep 2, 2004

I work in the ER and when I work a day shift i usually get a lunch break, when i work evenings i sometimes get a dinner break, and when i work nights, i rarely get a dinner break. and when i do, i usually scarf something down at the nurses station. but i totally hear you about others rolling their eyes at you. people are great about picking up where i left off when my shift ends though. when its busy breaks are rare. but i ALWAYS find time to go to the bathroom and drink some soda- my two musts! i also don't mind taking patients to catscan because i get to SIT DOWN while they go through the scanner! don't compromise for less than you're worth. i understand most nurses must have a break to regroup- esp. in the demanding stressful world of the ER. stand up for yourself, pace yourself, no your limits, and yes, someday you'll get an entire break without feeling guilty about it!

critcarenurse16 · Sep 2, 2004

My ICU is staffed with only two RN's at night. We are not allowed to leave for breaks but are told to sit and eat 'when you can' at the nurses desk. :angryfire We do not get the opportunity to collect ourselves and regroup. By the end of the night I am so stressed out sometimes that I find I can't sleep when I get home. And admin. says there is no staffing shortage. :uhoh3:

(thanks for letting me vent).

angel337, MSN, RN · Sep 2, 2004

its really sad to say this, but at the ED i work at, you are looked down upon if you think you can get a break everyday. a "break" for us is never 40 minutes. its more like 15 or 20 at most. we had a nurse that used to work the floors transfer to the ED. she took a full 30 minute lunch everyday and the other nurses complained about it because they didn't get lunch most days and felt it was unfair that this nurse found a way to eat. i rarely take a full lunch especially on pm shift because it is so busy and i hate to come back to charts full of orders so i just choke something down and come back out. this is probably one of the things i dislike the most about being a nurse. i like bedside nursing alot but i know i can't continue to be in a career for 20 years without a dinner break. this problem alone has encouraged me to pursue my masters degree. sad, very sad.

Repat · Sep 2, 2004

I hear you, angel!! I have also started my Masters because the floor where I used to work was so crazy I never got a break. I am now on a much better floor, and I realize that much of the problem on the other floor was a terrible manager. And critcarenurse, we were getting memos all the time that OSHA has a ruling against eating in "public" areas of the floor, like the nurses' station. You may want to investigate - it might be a way to force them to cover your breaks!

MrsWampthang, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2004

I have a question for all you ER folks.......will I ever get a full breaK in the ER???!!!! I transfered to the ER in July formerly from Med/Surg and postpartum. It has been quite a transition and I am still adjusting. My main concern is that I rarley get a break and when I do the staff usally rolls their eyes or makes a comment like "you will be the only one getting one". What is up with this? It is only 40 min in a 12 1/2 hour shift and I personally need it to re-group and be able to take care of more patients. I understand sometimes it just isn't possible but I feel like that is a staffing issue, not me being "weak". This morning when I announced I was leaving @ 7am (my shift is 6pm to 6am) I was yelled at by fellow staff and the charge that "you can't be seroius, we have a cardiac arrest coming in!" My goodness if I waited around long enough there will always be something!
I am very frustrated and do not feel comfortable here yet, I love the pace of the ER, I work hard and want to stay, any advice here
Chelle

My questions for you would be: ARE you the only one that takes a break? If you are then that could be why you get the rolled eyes look. Another thing, do you help your coworkers when you aren't busy and they are or is this when you take your break? One more thing, are you taking your breaks during a time that you have patients and are busy? And, do you expect your coworkers to cover your patient load so you can take "your 40 minute break?" ER nurses are a whole different breed and with the exception of one, the nurses where I work never leave the department for meal breaks for any length of time, let alone for 40 minutes. The charge nurses are good about letting us go to the gift shop or letting the smokers go out for a few, but ONLY if there is NOTHING going on, patients in holding patterns waiting for test results, doctors, etc. Are others in your department getting or even taking breaks? Look around, if the pattern is that your coworkers stay in the department and eat and take only scant pee breaks or whatever, then I would suggest that you amend your behavior to match theirs, or you will be the object of resentment among your coworkers. As I said, ER nurses are a whole different breed, we learn to inhale food or go with none for 12 hours, as well as hold our bladders for 12 hours, and we learn to take care of patients non-stop for 12 hours without a break to "regroup." There are times when we have down time, but there are times when we are full for 8 to 12 hours straight, taking care of multiple patients one right after the other, and NO ONE even thinks of taking a break, let alone asking for a break. Does it exhaust us, yeah, but the occasional patient that gives you the adrenaline rush makes up for the exhaustion. In answer to your question, if you ever expect to take a full break then ER is not for you. If you EVER get a full break then consider yourself lucky, but never EXPECT to take a full 40 minute break, cause odds are it ain't gonna happen. :rolleyes:

As for the second situation you mentioned. You should not have had to be there at 7am if you are supposed to get off at 6am and you certainly shouldn't have been expected to stay. That's what the incoming shift is for. Fresh blood! If you are routinely getting off an hour late then that's wrong and your relief needs to step up to the plate and take over for you so you can go home. That's one of my biggest beefs is that there have been times that I have had to chase down my relief who is chit-chatting in the nurses station instead of coming into the room I am in and relieving me. :angryfire

Good luck in the ER,

Pam

nursemary9, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2004

My ICU is staffed with only two RN's at night. We are not allowed to leave for breaks but are told to sit and eat 'when you can' at the nurses desk. :angryfire We do not get the opportunity to collect ourselves and regroup. By the end of the night I am so stressed out sometimes that I find I can't sleep when I get home. And admin. says there is no staffing shortage.
(thanks for letting me vent).

Hi

Do they realize that it is against Jacho & Osha regs to eat at the desk??

Trauma Columnist · Sep 2, 2004

To the OP - I've been an ER RN for over 8 years now in a very busy level one trauma center. It is rare to get a full 30 minutes every shift. I'm not sure why I put up with it for so long. However, my new mantra is: education sets us free! I started as an ER case manager in Jan 04 and it is a much different pace. I went back to school in Nov 02 for my BSN and am now working on the MSN...at 46 I can keep up the pace for now but at 56 and 66 who will want to? I wish you luck...it is a different culture in the ER - but I think you still need a lunch break if at all possible. Good luck - don't give up too soon.

chellet98 · Sep 2, 2004

My questions for you would be: ARE you the only one that takes a break? If you are then that could be why you get the rolled eyes look. Another thing, do you help your coworkers when you aren't busy and they are or is this when you take your break? One more thing, are you taking your breaks during a time that you have patients and are busy? And, do you expect your coworkers to cover your patient load so you can take "your 40 minute break?" ER nurses are a whole different breed and with the exception of one, the nurses where I work never leave the department for meal breaks for any length of time, let alone for 40 minutes. The charge nurses are good about letting us go to the gift shop or letting the smokers go out for a few, but ONLY if there is NOTHING going on, patients in holding patterns waiting for test results, doctors, etc. Are others in your department getting or even taking breaks? Look around, if the pattern is that your coworkers stay in the department and eat and take only scant pee breaks or whatever, then I would suggest that you amend your behavior to match theirs, or you will be the object of resentment among your coworkers. As I said, ER nurses are a whole different breed, we learn to inhale food or go with none for 12 hours, as well as hold our bladders for 12 hours, and we learn to take care of patients non-stop for 12 hours without a break to "regroup." There are times when we have down time, but there are times when we are full for 8 to 12 hours straight, taking care of multiple patients one right after the other, and NO ONE even thinks of taking a break, let alone asking for a break. Does it exhaust us, yeah, but the occasional patient that gives you the adrenaline rush makes up for the exhaustion. In answer to your question, if you ever expect to take a full break then ER is not for you. If you EVER get a full break then consider yourself lucky, but never EXPECT to take a full 40 minute break, cause odds are it ain't gonna happen.
As for the second situation you mentioned. You should not have had to be there at 7am if you are supposed to get off at 6am and you certainly shouldn't have been expected to stay. That's what the incoming shift is for. Fresh blood! If you are routinely getting off an hour late then that's wrong and your relief needs to step up to the plate and take over for you so you can go home. That's one of my biggest beefs is that there have been times that I have had to chase down my relief who is chit-chatting in the nurses station instead of coming into the room I am in and relieving me. :angryfire
Good luck in the ER,
Pam

Thank you all for your comments, I appreciate all of your wisdom. In replying to your questions...yes I help my staff out and feel as though that is a requirement in the ER, yes they are getting 30-40 breaks (this amount of time was mandated by HR for the ER every other floor is 1 hour!) on the nights that we can take breaks (somehow I just end up not getting mine), yes they smoke and I do not (I feel like 4-5 smoke breaks=30 min lunch), and finally yes I am human and need to collect myself in order to take proper care of my next 4-6 hours worth of patients :stone

Am I wrong here, because I feel as though even some of you feel as though it is taboo. I am just looking out for me and my patients, I know my limits and what is safe for me. I do not feel as though I should consider leaving the ER just because I am human :uhoh21:

Katnip, RN · Sep 2, 2004

I hope this makes you feel a bit better:

We almost always get our breaks. 15 min in the morning and half an hour when we need it. Our charge nurses keep a very close eye on this. They feel if someone is consistently not taking their breaks then there is something wrong and that person needs to learn to loosen up a bit.

There are days now and then when it's hard to get that full break in all at once. I've actually taken my break at the end of the shift, come back, given report and gone home. But I got my break. :)