breaks

annmariern · Apr 5, 2007

you have to fight for it sometimes; I have had to call the supervisor, who when I argued, suddenly found someone to relieve me; My big thing is, I check on my pts before I plan to take a break, try and plan around a lousy 30 mins; I get called or calls forwarded by the UC constantly. Nothing urgent. In 10 minutes 6 calls yesterday. Their busy, call the nurse, end of story. The word "break" is like your slacking! Over the years, I learned, I cant go 14 hours without food or fluids, a minutes peace. You don't get any more caught up. At the same time, don't go on break without anticipating your pts needs, ie, the abdo pain who is to the minute IV narcs, and expect a coworker to do it. And let the pts know, a quick, do you need anything right now, I am taking a break, have another nurse covering if you need it, but I'll be back in 30 minutes. Most of the time, their are fine with it. but some days, pts go bad on you, there isn't time for a "peaceful" break. Thats the job, charge it and make them pay you for the time.

Dixiecup · Apr 5, 2007

Hospitals need to staff a break relief nurse. In smaller units maybe the charge nurse or manager could relieve for meals and breaks.
In California our ratio law requires the ratio to be met at all times including meals and breaks.
I used to routinely eat at a bedside table outside a patient room.
Got up to answe the phone or a call light. Took way too many patients when others were on their breaks.
Now WE together put in for overtime if we are not relieved for our breaks. We also fill out an incident report that patients were placed at risk. It is all of us so it costs less to pay a relief nurse than to pay us all overtime every day.
Somehow they can find plenty of staff when JCAHO comes.
Why risk a nurse with a double assignment for 1/2 hour and fatigue caused accidents and errors?
What do you think the average person would think if they knew we went 12 hours or more without time to ourselves, sometimes not even to go to the bathroom?

How do you get by with eating outside a pts room or at the nurses station with the osha regs? We aren't even allowed to have a drink unless it's kept in the break room.

WickedRedRN, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2007

You know, it depends on the area. One assignment I work, they take their lunch breaks. But, what I have found is the majority do NOT use the breakroom. If you go sit in the breakroom for lunch it is inevitable that someone will come find you and INISIST you come see a pt right now. This happened once and I realized why everyone that goes to lunch will leave the floor entirely, so now I do too.

RN BSN 2009 · Apr 5, 2007

You know, it depends on the area. One assignment I work, they take their lunch breaks. But, what I have found is the majority do NOT use the breakroom. If you go sit in the breakroom for lunch it is inevitable that someone will come find you and INISIST you come see a pt right now. This happened once and I realized why everyone that goes to lunch will leave the floor entirely, so now I do too.

that's the only way!

rnin02 · Apr 5, 2007

How do you get by with eating outside a pts room or at the nurses station with the osha regs? We aren't even allowed to have a drink unless it's kept in the break room.

On day shift they can't eat outside the rooms, but at night we can usually get away with it. But we do occaisionally get talked to. But how can they not let us have drinks at our stations? If they enforced that, we'd all wind up in the ER for dehydration! Who has time to room to the break room all the time?

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Apr 5, 2007

I quit a job that wouldn't let me have water at the nurses' station. The manager was a dick too, but the water was a big part of the issues I had. Now I know to request special accommodation on the employment application up front, and KNOW I can get a drink when I need it. Pretty sad when water is considered special accommodation.