Hungry Nurse or Troublemaker?

PAERRN20 · Aug 12, 2009

I would try to take the issue up the chain of command. Talk to the charge nurses manager. I would NEVER work through lunch break and not get paid. This is unacceptable. Where I work I get a paid lunch break 99.9% of the time and if I didn't I would get paid. I know some nurses accept these conditions but I would not.

barbyann · Aug 12, 2009

Yes, I feel pressure to work off the clock. Not blatant statements, just subtle comments.

Batman24 · Aug 12, 2009

You should NEVER work off the clock. That is a huge liability issue and can effect worker's comp should you get hurt and/or your medical malpractice insurance should something go wrong with a patient. You will not be covered in either case. The nurse here is dead wrong but not everyone realizes this can have such detrimental consequences.

That aside, you are to be paid for all time that you work. That is the law. If you are punched out that time is to be yours. If they want you to work through your lunch they need to pay you. I would try to rectify the situation first through your CN. If that doesn't work report them to the Dept of Labor. I applaud you for standing up for yourself.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2009

I agree with Batman here.

Truth is, people like your charge nurse, people I call "mini-me managers", the one's who are in a position of authority but are not the final say............are often way off the mark, such as with this case.

If you follow her lead, clock out and work, and something happens, the facility with throw you under the bus. They will charge you for not following policy, say that the incident was not covered by the company's insurance because you were "not on the clock".

Mini-me managers often get caught up in trying to look good an lose their common sense. A big part of nursing is knowing when to give these types an ear and when not to. More often than not..........not giving the ear is the right answer.

KarynicaRN · Aug 12, 2009

I have recently started a new job. I'm on my orientation period. I asked when we take our lunch. I was told by the Charge Nurse that we have to clock out for lunch for 30 minutes but continue to work. Otherwise, the work is not completed.
:nono:I said, "uhm, no, I don't think so. I always try to take my lunch." She said, "You're new here. We have to work through lunch to get everything done." Ok, fine, I will work through lunch but I want to be paid. She got snotty and said "we don't pay for your time on lunch. It's obvious you are not going to last long here." Actually, no, I won't be lasting long here, if that is the attitude you have towards my breaks. I refuse to work off the clock. If I clock out for lunch, I want my lunch, I don't want to still be working. Am I being unreasonable?
Are you pressured to work off the clock? Do you take your lunch?

I was told years ago by the Administrator that I HAVE to take a lunch BY LAW. I am in Illinois. I explained to the Administrator that we don't have the time to take a lunch. He stated that with two nurses on day shift there is plenty of time to take a lunch and that I need to start clocking out and taking my lunches, or the facility would get into trouble. I started clocking out for lunch and still working. It's pathetic when there is no time for the nurses to take a lunch, but the aides get their smoke breaks and lunches, plus they can leave the building as long as staffing is covered. During the 6pm-6am shift I am the only nurse and I cannot leave the building.

It's called being a nurse and not having enough time to even eat. Sad, but true

miwachiru123 · Aug 12, 2009

If you are given a lunch period, you must be free from all duties.

Even if you have partial duties (carrying a pager that you must respond to, or carrying a cordless phone you must answer) then you must be paid. This is US law.

Scrubby · Aug 12, 2009

How dare you want to eat and not work on your unpaid break, you should be ashamed of yourself!!! :chuckle

This nurse is a shining example of why nursing is stuck in 19th century conditions. I get really frustrated reading some of the stories here on allnurses about nurses not even being able to go to the toilet. If you can't get a meal break then claim it as overtime. If you can't go to the toilet then tell your managers that it's giving you UTI's.

I know I'd probably be fired in this sort of environment because if they tried to make me work during my break, I'd just sit there at the nurses station and stuff my face full of food and not work. If they tried the occupational health and safety shouldn't eat in working areas crap on me, I'd be coming straight back at them with meal break allowances.

tokidoki7, ASN, RN · Aug 12, 2009

In my city a group of nurses have sued the hospital for having to work during unpaid lunch breaks. I don't think you're being unreasonable.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2009

You are not being unreasonable.

There are shifts where I do not get a lunch break. I always claim the overtime when that happens.

Moogie · Aug 12, 2009

I think it's going to take a lot of nurses getting together, like in Chocobean's facility, for administration to get the message that they can't expect nurses to work off the clock. It's illegal, it's unsafe, it's unfair---but as long as we continue to let other nurses bully us into these practices, we'll keep on working off the clock.

I once worked at a place, asked the SW how she managed to get done with a day's work in a day's time. She didn't. She routinely had 10-12 hour days and was reprimanded for all of her overtime. The budget had money for a part-time social worker to help, but no one took t he job so eventually management decided it was unnecessary. Anyhoo, the SW told me that some days she clocked out at the time she left but most times she clocked out and stayed several more hours to finish her work; otherwise she would not get done.

Gee, how come no one talks about off the clock meal times or work in job interviews?

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Aug 12, 2009

Gee, how come no one talks about off the cock meal times or work i n job interviews?

*snicker*