Feedback requested before I give 2 weeks notice!

[Nurse-E Girl]

After receiving an e-mail from my nurse manager that I MUST take a lunch (which I would LOVE TO by the way) I am so fed up, I'm ready to quit. I've been at this facility as an RN for 2 years but only 9 months on this med-surg floor (my very first med-surg job). Can you fellow nurses give me some feedback on my reply to her note? We don't cross paths at work, so I'm ready to send this but wanted to run it by you all. I don't have another job lined up but I'm starting to think my well-being is more important. I feel used & abused by this facility. I bend over backwards for them. I love the work itself, but this thing about "you must take a lunch" is only lip service. They could care less if I eat or not.

Here's my note:

Dear ,

I implore you to ask two questions of your remaining nursing staff.

1.) Do you feel you have enough time during your shift to take a proper 30 min lunch?

2.) Do you punch out for 30 minutes but continue to work during that time?

These questions may be difficult for you to ask for two reasons: One, you won't want to hear their answers, and two, you don't have the power to do anything about it even if they tell you the truth.

I leave my house at 2:30 in the afternoon. I hit the floor running & don't stop until 11:30 pm - I chart that last hour. I remove my lunch from the break room refrigerator & eat it in the car on the way home - TEN hours later. I usually have a headache by then. When we have only one Care Assistant, it is impossible to take a lunch break.

I have told other staff (even on the day & night shifts) that every time they swipe out & 'pretend' to take a lunch, it makes ME look BAD but they refuse to write it in the book.

I have been nothing but a loyal, conscientious & dedicated worker at XXXXXX Hospital. I was under the illusion that if I worked hard, had a positive attitude, surrounded myself with like-minded people . . . all would be good. Thanks for your concern. However, you can consider this my two weeks notice.

- Sincerely,

-

[Blindsided]

I don't have the makeup to do what 07302003 is suggesting. I would have to swallow my bile the whole conversation.

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

don't send that email!!!!!! i would nicely and carefully express your concerns. Its actually illegal for them to tell you to clock out if your not taking a break, and your co-workers could actually get fired if they aren't taking a break and saying they are (for real) because it opens the hospital up to a very big lawsuit if they create a culture that supports this. I do touch base when im regularly not getting a break and let my boss know i want to but i haven't been able to . they have just said ' try if at all possible' but don't say you got one if you didn't.

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

IMO you should not submit this letter in any form!. I am not sure what state you live in but you need to get the facts on why the management is doing this. The odds are they want to follow the labor law and do not want to pay a lunch penalty or have to pay you whatever amount the law states they do if you do not get a lunch. Your letter will not change anything but your life and employment status.

You are shooting your self in the foot if you do this. The best thing to do in this case is just comply with whatever management is telling you to do to the best of your ability.I have heard it all and I know all the challenges nurses face in getting a lunch break. You have to plan for a lunch break just as you make a plan for for your patient care. You have to ask the management what the plan is for lunch relief. Whatever the plan is you follow it...if that is to use your resource nurse.....rotating lunch times...pass on report to your buddy...whatever the plan is DO IT...Do not clock out and then not take a lunch...do not work for free. They may even approve the no lunch and pay you with proper authorization but whatever you do........ do not solve the problem for management by doing what you are doing now and not taking a lunch break because they never can get a true picture of the problem and then they can blame it on you and/or the employees.

If this is not the place for you consider seeking new employment before leaving this one!