FRUSTRATED

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I am a new nurse and I was really looking forward to taking care of patients. In fact, that is the easy part. The hard part is listening to all the negativity from administration. We are not allowed to have drinks at the nurse's station and we get written up and told we can be fired, but yet doctors walk around with their drinks all day. I never go to the bathroom more than once and that's if I am lucky. I never get to take a whole lunch break or other breaks because I have to leave my patient's unattended and what if the nurses I am working with dont watch out for my patient. There is no apprecation. I am constantly aware of how I can be easily replaced. What the heck did I get myself into? :banghead:

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hi there

i understand how you feel. I am a new nurse myself and somedays I am so busy I look at my watch and its 3pm already. I totally missed lunch and breaks. I take small finger food items that you can eat in 5 min stretches in case you can't take a full lunch. when i do this, i at least get some food in my stomach and don't feel as cranky.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

I put a power bar in my pocket or a breakfast bar -- I've got problems with hypoglycemia, and if my sugar goes low, I get really, REALLY cranky. One night I didn't even realize, until one of my coworkers cornered me and checked my FSBS -- it was in the 70's. Now "care and feeding of Nerd" is required on a busy night...

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

I'm going to ask both of you this:

Do you both clock "No Lunch" then? Or do you volunteer your time?

Here's what I do and I recommend you do the same: if you have to go to the bathroom, then go to the bathroom. You are a human being and deserve to be treated as such.

You are suppose to have your breaks and lunch. Take your breaks and eat your lunch. Do not volunteer to work through your lunch or punch out and work on your own time.

You're suppose to get the same humane treatment that you give to everyone else.

The day that nurses stop acting like they are martyrs and the community punching bags will be the day that others will start taking them seriously.

Stop accepting this behavior as normal for us and others will do the same!

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

Sounds like you have a lousy manager. Our manager never makes us feel this way. She is very positive, always appreciates us and gives us lots of thank you's. Our whole management team does, from the top down. We have really good employee retention at our hospital because of that. No one in our management team manages by threats. If you have a problem or you are a pain in the ass, they still try to help you work it out. They have fired a few people but only when they have reached the end of the line with trying to get them to do what they are supposed to do.

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Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

ok, if you aren't getting paid for lunch you better take it. Most patients on a med-surg floor will be ok for 30 minutes. Secondly, GO to the bathroom. My fellow NS buddy was doing this, she wasn't going to the bathroom at all and ended up with not only a kidney stone but a really nasty infection and lost the the function of her left kidney. You can't take care of others if you don't take care of yourself first.

I know that you want to be the best nurse, the most caring, blah blah but that won't matter when you are in the unemployment line like my friend is now.

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

Have you heard of "nurse's bladder"? It's caused by not using the bathroom while at work, over the years. The bladder sags into the lady parts and sometimes protrudes. Puh-leeeeeze use the bathroom when you need to!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

as for the MD's - as smart as they are they cannot be trained to do things "our way".

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Specializes in Emergency Room; Acute Psychiatry.

this is taken from the osha website regarding the eating and drinking.

1910.1030(d)(2)(ix)

eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics or lip balm, and handling contact lenses are prohibited in work areas where there is a reasonable likelihood of occupational exposure.

1910.1030(d)(2)(x)

food and drink shall not be kept in refrigerators, freezers, shelves, cabinets or on countertops or benchtops where blood or other potentially infectious materials are present.

as far as the breaks, why aren't you getting them, or taking them? you say you are a new nurse and i guess i have to ask, are the other nurses who aren't new are getting their breaks? i'm just wondering if it's a time management issue you may be having as a newer nurse that maybe someone could observe and help you work on.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Don't turn yourself into a martyr! If you have to go to the bathroom, go. Take your lunches when you're supposed to. You can't provide good care if you don't take care of your own needs first.

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