Clock OUT and IN for lunch in a NICU???

[Jerico]

Management has just begun a requirement that all nurses clock in and out for our 30 minute lunch, and if we do not take lunch or take a short lunch we must fill out a discrepancy form.

I am working in an NICU, and in order for us to take lunches, we all must coordinate with our baymates to leave for our now MANDATORY unpaid lunch in the breakroom on the floor. This leaves TWO nurses for 9 critical babies....on vents and such.

I do not feel comfortable leaving other nurses who already have hands full with my THREE babies.

Management says this is so "all nurses get their much needed lunch".

We NEVER get breaks, we are supposed to get 2 15 minute breaks, over the course of our 12.5hour time in the unit.

Any thoughts?

[Mimi2RN, ASN, RN]

I agree with you. I work in the ER. We are also told to clock out for 30 minutes. Some nurses just hand over their badge to one nurse who clocks everyone out and the secretary keeps up with the time so she can clock those nurses back in. We hardly ever sit down during our 12 hr shift. I have clocked out 3 times in the last month for a "lunch break" and then forgot to clock back in because I had to run back out to check in EMS! What are they thinking????

Take a look at Labor laws. No break, don't clock out, and don't ever let someone else clock out for you. You can be fired for that.

I'm a charge nurse, and I will always co-sign when someone missed a break.. I know how crazy we can get.

[wanderlust99]

Ridiculous. There should be a 1 relief nurse for 3-4 nurses so each nurse gets their scheduled break. This is how it's done in my ICU & it's the absolute best system. I get 3 15 minute breaks & 1 30 minute break and I have a nurse watching my ICU patient/s during my break.

[Chico David, BSN, RN]

A few thoughts:

1. This is why the California staffing ratio laws mandate that the ratios are in effect "at all times" with a very specific ruling that "at all times" means including lunch and breaks. The law is not universally obeyed or enforced, but we do pretty well. Most units at most hospitals have break relief nurses who come in just for that purpose. It means you no longer feel like you have to get your patients all tuned up and everything caught up on them before you go to lunch, because there is actually someone caring for them while you are gone, not just "watching them" for emergencies.

2. Don't we owe our patients full time care? Do their care needs stop when their nurse goes on break?

3. Nurses who allow their employer to bully or guilt them into working off the clock are not only short changing themselves, but their co-workers, their patients and their profession. Our work is important and we deserve the compensation we get. Our patients deserve a nurse all the time, not just some of the time, and they deserve a nurse who is adequately rested and fed and able to provide quality care.

4. An individual nurse who tries to stand up alone for the above principles puts themself at great risk in many places. But a group of nurses who stand up for it together can win, even in difficult circumstances. A union environment makes standing together easier, but it's not impossible even in a non-union environment.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I understand the OP's frustration about having to clock out for meal breaks when it wasn't required before. However -- I may be able to provide an explanation that SHOULD have been provided by that organization when they made the policy change.

The 'default' for most time clock systems is to automatically deduct a lunch period from each shift. This is all fine and dandy if everyone is actually taking that time away from the work setting. But as mentioned by other posters, this can become a rarity with increased workloads. The Feds are well aware of this and over the last few years they have increased the number of audits they perform. On-site audits are generally triggered by complaints about FLS (Fair Labor Standards) violations; they may be very lengthy - sometimes over a year long. If offenses are discovered, the organization then has to pay stiff penalties in addition to reimbursing employees for all unpaid work time that was discovered.

As a result, most organizations have eliminated the 'automatic' meal break deduction and now require employees to clock out instead. Granted, it's a hassle, but much easier to track and manage. Sooooo - I guess the lesson might be -- Provide employees with reasonable explanations for policy changes. It doesn't reduce the frustration, but may prevent misdirected anger.

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

And provide a competent NICU RN to care for the babies while the nurse is on a break.

[nicurn001]

HouTx it is not clear in your contribution to whom should your misdirected anger actually be aimed at ?.