Do you talk to your coworkers alot on your lunch break?

Alnitak7 · Jul 31, 2015

I remember a few of us got in trouble for it. We exceeded out 30 minted.

midazoslam · Aug 1, 2015

Where I work, we're a team of about 13. We're very close and try to have lunch together when we can, or we'll organise a luncheon in our clinical team meetings particularly if it's someone's birthday. Of course there are relationships that are more or less just about work, however there are others who see each other outside of work too. That's the beauty of human nature - you're not going to get along well with everyone, but you keep the peace anyway because you're an adult.

I think we all need to be respectful and courteous of everyone needing their own space too. Sometimes, that's the best thing your work colleagues can do.

Mocha92, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2015

I feel lucky that I work on a floor where my coworkers and I get a long great, and (if possible) can grab lunch together. We definitely share a lot with one another. Also, We usually all try to do something once a month together, such as movies or dinner. It really makes a big difference at work when you are comfortable with your co-workers!

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SleeepyRN · Aug 1, 2015

You get a lunch Break?
Although I am required to clock out for lunch before the 5th hour of the shift. That's usually when a new admit arrives on my unit or some other catastrophe is happening. So I typically clock out and keep working. I know it's illegal but I would rather work through lunch and get out on time.
Hppy

That's exactly what we all did at my last job. We were more worried about getting our heads chewed off for going past our shift, so we clocked out and then charted and entered new orders. But where I work now? Pft no way. They would fire us. But we're starting to get the heat from the higher ups that we MUST clock out on time unless we had an admission. But sometimes shifts are so crazy even when you don't have an admit that even the seasoned nurses aren't done til after 1am on 3-11:30 shifts. I NEVER take a break, but when I clock out I click the punch out/full break taken button on Kronos. Because they would start hounding me if I clicked that I didn't take a break.

SleeepyRN · Aug 1, 2015

I'm usually described by my coworkers as standoffish, quiet, reserved, and the 'loner.' Once in a blue moon I'll chat with them, but I'd much rather park my butt in front of a computer and surf the world wide web on my downtime.
I've overshared with coworkers, classmates and instructors in the past and didn't enjoy the resulting fallout. At this point in my life I'd prefer to be left alone and leave most aspects of my personal life to peoples' imaginations.

Lol. Tonight is an actual blue moon. I was viewed as standofish in nursing school. But really, I was just shy.

Farawyn · Aug 1, 2015

Lol. Tonight is an actual blue moon. I was viewed as standofish in nursing school. But really, I was just shy.

It is. So pretty!

Graduatenurse14 · Aug 1, 2015

I don't really talk anything too personal with people at work or at least I try not to and have both good and bad reasons for this.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 1, 2015

Depends upon who is in the break room with me. If no one is in there when I start my break, I read. Some of the young'uns would rather play on their phones than chat, so I respect that. If there's a crusty old bat in there with me, we chat. We usually have 12-14 nurses on shift, and it's rare that more than 3 or 4 get to take a break at one time, so I'll just answer "It depends."

Awesomocity0 · Aug 1, 2015

I think everyone on my unit has their friends. There are a couple people with whom I don't share anything, because I don't particularly like them, but they share waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too much with me. But we all socialize outside of work, too. I've got three friends I hang out with and invite to events that have people besides just my coworkers going (for me, unless I really like a person, i'm not going to have them meet my non-work friends; there has to be a reason to cross over). The others I just see at happy hour, baby showers, etc.

canigraduate · Aug 1, 2015

I like my quiet time and will leave if you get all Chatty Cathy with me. I have to deal with people talking at me all shift.

There are a few exceptions, but very few. When I was traveling, there were some awesome nurses and a wonderful unit, and I nearly always lunched and laughed.

For the most part, though, nurses are some of the most bitter and negative people and I try to avoid all that IRL. (I've worked in about twelve different industries, so yes, I have a large basis for comparison.)

Farawyn · Aug 1, 2015

I like my quiet time and will leave if you get all Chatty Cathy with me. I have to deal with people talking at me all shift.
There are a few exceptions, but very few. When I was traveling, there were some awesome nurses and a wonderful unit, and I nearly always lunched and laughed.
For the most part, though, nurses are some of the most bitter and negative people and I try to avoid all that IRL. (I've worked in about twelve different industries, so yes, I have a large basis for comparison.)

I don't know too many biter nurses IRL.

I prefer to hang out with nurses.

Most of my IRL friends are teachers, healthcare and law enforcement.

eggyweggy, MSN, RN · Aug 1, 2015

I'm still new to my unit and getting a feel for the culture. In general, if people are in the breakroom together, they make small talk for at least part of the time. There are a few antisocial types that are engrossed in their phones, but for the most part people make an effort to converse if they are eating together. We have designated times for our breaks so half to 1/3 of the nurses will be on break at the same time. About half the time I stay in the break room to eat and make small talk with my coworkers, the other half of the time I take my lunch and go find a quiet corner in the hospital where I can be by myself. My unit as a whole is pretty open and friendly and most of the nurses are happy to chat about personal stuff in addition to work stuff. Those who have been there for longer than me have much closer friendships and quite a few people get together outside of work socially. I'm still too new to get invited to most of it, but my unit does do some social events for staff outside of the hospital a few times a year that are inclusive of all staff. In general, people seem to be pretty welcoming (the turnover on my unit is higher than most because it's a foot-in-the-door kind of place) and not super-cliquey. We also get float staff to our unit on pretty much a daily basis, so people are accustomed to working with nurses who don't make their "home" on our unit.