Do You Get A Lunch or Dinner Break?

Meerkat · Mar 16, 2006

P.S. Do you get the cold shoulder if you ask management to pay you for the time you worked during lunch?

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2006

My manager is very supportive in paying us if we don't take a lunch break. She understands that there will be those days.

Personally, I prioritize a lunch break in my day, along with meds, treatments, patient care, etc. I can't always go precisely when I want to, but it's rare that I don't get to eat. Sometimes it is by the fly, meaning I have time to eat and that's it, no extra relaxation time.

If it means I have to stay late and catch up on my charting and work, I'm still going to take a few minutes to eat. They don't pay me enough to work 12 hours and destry myself without a meal. I'm a better nurse when I take the meal.

I understand missing a meal here and there, but I do not understand the concept of not taking a meal. I've been a nurse for a long time, I work day shift on a busy med-surg floor, and sometimes in the midst of the choas I still say "15 or 30 minutes to eat" for myself, not's not asking too much.

fergus51 · Mar 16, 2006

I take my break unless things are absolutely insane. Or I get paid for it. I really don't care what anyone else thinks about it. I deserve a break, I am entitled to a break, they can kiss my behind if they don't like it. I am not a slave.

Oh, and I have explained the importance of breaks when parents get upset about it too.

clee1 · Mar 16, 2006

As my Dad (God rest him) always said "Son, the biggest sin in the world is not getting paid for your work".

I'll take the break, or I'll get paid for the time; one or the other.

Meerkat · Mar 16, 2006

Bravo to you guys!!!

Do other co workers balk at you for taking a break? Especially the ones who pull the I-didnt-get-abreak-so-why-should-you routine?

MajorAl · Mar 16, 2006

There is a federal law that states you must get a break after 6 hours of work. I'm not sure where to find it unfortunately. I always make sure I get either a half hour break per shift or I will do things like this. When I supervised, I would insist that my Nurses take their lunch break even if I had to cover for them. (Probably why I no longer am a supervisor. ) Always remember the words of Sidney Freeman: Ladies and gentlemen, treat yourself nice. Pull down your pants and slide on the ice. Treating yourself nice being the operative words. I mean how can you treat your patients decently if you're hungry, tired, cranky, etc?

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Mar 16, 2006

I always take my breaks. My coworkers don't complain because they all take their breaks too. If anyone didn't like it, they could kiss my backside. It is not my business to make sure they take their breaks, though I am happy to listen out for their babies while they are gone. It IS my business to take care of myself and make sure I get my breaks.

If you can take a break and your co-workers can't (or don't) that is not your problem to solve. Don't ever let anyone make you feel bad for taking your breaks. You deserve them and your body and mind need them.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Mar 16, 2006

There is a federal law that states you must get a break after 6 hours of work. I'm not sure where to find it unfortunately. I always make sure I get either a half hour break per shift or I will do things like this. When I supervised, I would insist that my Nurses take their lunch break even if I had to cover for them. (Probably why I no longer am a supervisor. ) Always remember the words of Sidney Freeman: Ladies and gentlemen, treat yourself nice. Pull down your pants and slide on the ice. Treating yourself nice being the operative words. I mean how can you treat your patients decently if you're hungry, tired, cranky, etc?

Breaks are usually covered under state law, rather than federal law (unless you are a federal employee). Most states have laws that mandate breaks, BUT there are some states that do not apply those laws to nurses because they are "essential personnel" or some such nonsense. Personally, I would want to make sure my "essential personnel" was not about to faint from hunger or dehydration rather than making an exemption in the law that requires them to get a break. :uhoh3:

clee1 · Mar 16, 2006

Bravo to you guys!!!
Do other co workers balk at you for taking a break? Especially the ones who pull the I-didnt-get-abreak-so-why-should-you routine?

Here is where personality and/or attitude slips into the mix.

While I do my very best to be civil, friendly, helpful, etc. to my coworkers, in the final analysis, their approval or disapproval of me or my actions is not very high on my priority list.

1st priority in my mind is to take care of myself and my family; next comes the duty to my employer (or in this case patients, THEN employer); and WAY on down the list is the concerns of my coworkers.

I am an individual; my patients are individuals - I refuse to let collectivist attitudes rule me, or dictate the care given to an individual patient.

zacarias, ASN, RN · Mar 17, 2006

You know, I was just thinking that I know I used to occasionally stay late to catch up on charting. Or I would say, "I'm OK cuz I can catch up when my shift is over."

I haven't done that in like a year. If it's really busy, I'm running around like a madman to get all my charting done and then go home. If I had to stay late and chart, I don't even know how I would do it. When day shift comes, a million nurses, techs, docs, NPs, etc flood the floor wanting the chart. How am I gonna finish? I just recently thought of that issue.

steelcityrn, RN · Mar 17, 2006

Thats what I love about my work. Take a break when I want and always get to have lunch, usually for a hour, so can actually meet a friend. Home by 430pm each day, usually. I have actually had my dental/eye appt. in place of lunch. Making more money than ever, certainly do not miss the hospital.