What do you do on your break at work?

[fedupnurse]

I work nights. SOme of our staff nap, some eat, some play on the computer. Last fall we have the Leonid Meteor showers and a colleague and I went to the beach on our break to watch it. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen in my life! Do any of you do interesting or unusual stuff during your break at work????

[RNforLongTime]

I am a smoker. In lieu of being off the floor for lunch for 30 min plus a 15 min break, we night shift and evening shift staff that smoke take about 4 10 minute smoke breaks, if it's a slow night. If it's a busy night then we are lucky if we get out for one. Patient care takes priority over smoke breaks in my opinion,

[mlolsonny]

Not being a smoker, I don't get nearly as many breaks as my co-workers who smoke, but I still manage to sneak in a "sit-break" once in a while. One of my resident's has even commented to me that the only time she sees me sit is while I'm feeding someone.

Well sometimes that someone is me! Usually I don't want to do much on my break, just sit for 5-10 minutes.

[eagleRN]

I agree IF YOU DON'T SMOKE-YOU DON'T GET A BREAK.

Honestly, I think the smoker can get more accomplished, even though they spend less time on the floor working. In order to do this they have to not fool around, and get their work done, plan, organize and make their work "work" around that next fix.

The rest of us, pace ourselves, are available to answer more lights or take more complaints/compliments/small talk with pt.s families, thus we appear to accomplish less with our extra time by not going on our breaks. All us NON-SMOKERS need to to take our breaks, (I admit I don't) even if it's to go into an empty pt's room and sit or go to the clean utility room and just sit and stare. I'm going to try my own advise next week at work.

[h2ogoddess]

I am a smoker,BUT I only take my allotted breaktimes. I think that if the RN'S didn't take breaks together(were I work a least),

they could releve each other and get their breaks. But they always go at the sametimes and then complain because they didn't get a break. I know the way to get my coffee and smoke, I don't need someone to lead the way.

[mattsmom81]

Gotta admit I never did get many breaks. Towards the end before I had to quit due to health, I had to walk away occasionally from the stress at the desk...it was getting to me.

But generally, there was so much for me to do, and I wanted SO BADLY to get out of the place as fast as possible, I worked through breaks and lunch.

When I worked in ICU unless I was working with a nurse I trusted and who also had my same level of experience, I didn't get breaks because I usually had fresh postop hearts or other critical patients. I just didn't dare leave (plus I was resource to everyone else so.... )

And I don't smoke so there seemed to be no real driving force for me to leave the unit most nights. :)

[jayna, RN]

When take day shift. I don't take breaks.

At night, I visited other wards and chat with the nurses or make jokes.

[patricia rn2b]

Break? on ortho there are NO breaks...ever

[FiFi]

I mangia

[shay]

What is this 'break' thing you speak of??? Just kidding......at my new hospital (God love it), my nm actually tries to see to it that we all get breaks. I eat and watch the news or read. Yeah, I'm a nerd.

[alwaysthere]

break? ? ? when i do get a few mins when im not running from point a to point b , i inhale a sandwich or some of the snack food ive brought.

[VA_CCRC]

break???? take me to your leader.....

[Lisamrod]

I eat... and if I don't get to sit down for 10 minutes during my 12 hr shift, then I hide my food and take a bite each time I walk by. I take the liberty of peeing at least once a day- no matter HOW busy I am! LOL!