Do you have 30 minutes for lunch?

DoeRN · Oct 18, 2013

I work in an outpatient clinic one day a week and I look forward to it because I actually get an hour lunch uninterrupted. It's super nice and makes me want to get an office job. If I wasn't in school again I would totally get a Mon-Fri.

I've gotten to the point now that if anyone attempts to talk to me about work related things and it isn't urgent and can wait I tell them I will talk to them after I finish eating. I can't tell you how many times PT, case management, social work etc will see me go into the lunch room and come in and ask me various questions. I'm polite about it but I do tell them that I'm here 12 hours and I'm not being paid for this 30 minutes and I need to eat. I will find you and talk to you when my unpaid break is over.

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Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2013

Uhmmmm....not really.

SubSippi · Oct 18, 2013

I work on a very busy floor, and even though it would be easy to just work through it, we always take lunch breaks. First, our lunches are scheduled...the charge writes the times we are scheduled for our lunch on the white board. We start at 1300 so any 1200 meds are given (usually). When it's our turn, we just let the other nurses know if there's something major going on with one of our patients.

There's hardly anything so major it can't wait 30 minutes, and if it can't we're just in the breakroom. If you work with other nurses who aren't great with teamwork, I can see how it would be tough to take a 30 minute break.

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 18, 2013

I am an aide, but I've worked in Orthopedics, Med-Surg and OB. Med-surg and Ortho are crazy busy where as at OB, these nurses are taking many breaks, have time to surf the web, play games on their phone...etc. ICU nurses, from my experience, also (usually) get their full lunch breaks.

Twinmom06, ASN, APN · Oct 18, 2013

the two places I've worked so far, the nurses cover for each other very well and generally do get a half hour lunch break - also HR automatically deducts 30 minutes from our paycheck daily so you have to write "no lunch" if you truly don't get a lunch

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 18, 2013

I think it depends much more on facility atmosphere than the specialty of nursing. Are nurses willing to cover each other for lunches/breaks? Does the facility stagger staff start times so that lunches/breaks get covered? Does the charge nurse/unit manager/etc pitch in to help with lunches?

I work in the OR. Our shifts are staggered- we have the standard 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts, but we also have a mid shift- 2 nurses and 2 surgical technologists start their day at 11 am, give lunches to 1st shift, relieve those going home at 3 pm, and then provide a dinner break to 2nd shift. Granted, there are days where it just doesn't work (too many call-offs, and the mid shifters are used to staff a room, trauma after trauma after trauma) but most days it works.

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Oct 18, 2013

When I work days some days I'm lucky if I have 10 minutes to choke down a sandwich. Other days I'll get my 30 minutes. It's probably 75/25 in favor of not getting lunch. On nights I'll often have 90 consecutive minutes with nothing going on on the same unit.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 18, 2013

Yes, yes I do. Because if I don't take the full 30 minutes, they have to pay me 1 hour's pay (I can't remember if this is a company law or California law).

So they ensure that we get our lunch breaks.

loriangel14, RN · Oct 18, 2013

45 minutes every day.Plus 30 minutes for coffee.

ToniRNLa79 · Oct 18, 2013

I work in the CCU and get my 30, just have to make sure everything is done before I go...although we do carry a portable in case were needed immediately.

SionainnRN · Oct 18, 2013

I've worked ICU and ER and except for the occasional crappy night I get lunch every time. But I also work nights so that makes it a little different than days.