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????

[Butternut]

On our lunch break we go down to cafeteria, get meal, bring it back up to the unit and eat it in the break/report room. We stay on the unit to be available. There are no other breaks and we work 12 hour shifts.

[knowlegzseekr]

Originally posted by konnihall

Since I don't smoke, I don't get a break.

I mean, if half the nurses are outside smoking, and I leave the floor, too, who would watch the monitors and take care of the patients? Because as soon as things slow down, those smokers are heading out the door for their "breathing treatment."

My mom was a nurse, too, (semi-retired now) and she NEVER smoked at work. And she was about a half a pack a day smoker at her peak, yet she could manage to make it through a day (or night) without lighting up.

Come to think of it, she didn't smoke in her car either, so she didn't get the fix right before she walked in or right after she walked out (which would be just fine with me in regards to my co-workers).

If I step out of the unit to walk to the dumbwaiter for meds, inevitably one of the smokers will complain that they had to reset one of my pumps, or suction my patient, or something else while I was gone. Yet us non-smokers are supposed to cover the smokers' patients WITHOUT complaining the 3, 4, 5 or more times they take a smoke break! Who, with the exception of one, take at least 15 min. to smoke a cigarette (we do have one speed smoker in the unit).

If I offended any smokers, sorry. But I need to vent about something that really chaps my @$$.

:)

LOL!:roll :chuckle :roll You took the words right outta my mouth!

[jschut, BSN, RN]

I usually don't get a break either because I don't smoke. But when I do, I just go outside with a cold Mountain Dew and sit for a few minutes.

[adrienurse, LPN]

When I work days, I usually eat or else drink coffee. I like to read a book or magazine. I like to just take the time to zone out and be in my own little world. Problem is there is no break room, only the cafeteria, and your in there with residents and their noisy families as well as the suits that are on their breaks, so you never can really get away. It's a really noisy cafeteria, but there is no other choice, we can't leave the building.

On nights, I never sleep. I eat, get a newspaper and sit somewhere quiet OFF the unit.

[Samantha]

LMAO!!!:chuckle

I can go a whole 12 hr. shift without peeing!!! If I do go, that's usually considered my break. I've had dreams about patients walking in on me in the bathroom to ask me questions or just B*tch at me!! PLEASE, just 5 minutes to myself!!!!!! LOL

[nakitamoon]

Okay,,,,, I'm smoker,,,, and D.O.N. of assisted living facilty,,,,,

Arrive at work half hour early,,,, get coffee,,,,,and notes from the time I have left,,,, go outside and have a cigarette or two,,,,,,,this is 4:30 a.m.,,,,,,,,,

The next time I even can attempt to go for break???? smoke is around 10:30 a.m.,,,,,,,, go outside light it,,,, pager goes off,,,,,,

Eat lunch,,,, usually cold,,,, after all lunch meds are administered and sure everyone else has eaten,,, and,,,, what ever orders come in during that time,,,,, oh and I forgot answer the phone,,,, take messages for entire facility,,,,as those eight hour ppl are sitting down to eat hot meal and are not going to be bothered,,, on thier break,,,,,, None of them smoke,,,,, If they are disturbed by resident,,,,, call the nursing staff!!!!!,,,,, They are wandering down the hall naked or this resident did this,,,, People this is why we have a job!!!!!!!!!

Lol,,,, sorry little off topic,,,,, point is break,,,, when and if I can,,, smoking is done early morning and in my car on way home,,,,,,, Sometimes I get to pee,,,,,, while the phone or call lights are going off,,,,, LOL or resident is talking to me through door,,,,,, I have a really great staff under me,,,,, Thier shifts are same as mine,,,,,,,,, But will tell ya,,,,, really ticks me off to look outside and find all housekeepers,,,,, smoking and eating,,,,,, leaning against wall talking as residents are coming to me complaining they haven't got thier laundry yet or when is thier bed going to be made,,,,,??????

Bottom line is ,,,,,,, if everyone worked together,,,,,, and did thier job correctly the first time,,,,, understood or at least pretend everyone understood each others jobs,,,,,,, wow,,,,, for minute,,,,,lost in land of pleasantly confused :roll

~~~Moon~~~

[Debbielynn]

It is true about smokers! When I use to work in offices or even at my company when I was married, I noticed people who didn't smoke got a lot more work done than the smokers. And about the NO breaks, even to pee, it looks like I might be asking for Depends for christmas after all!!!!!!!!!!!

[Love-A-Nurse]

how sad that you all have to pick on smokers in order to justify why you don't get a break.

there have been many times i have not taken a break and i am a smoker. if i didn't smoke, i would just have to have a "minute" to re-group. there are those who just sit and talk on the phone, sit and gossip, visit other floors/units, being taller tales, and what have you.

go and get you a break and pretend it is because you are on a "smoke" break

...and i am not hiding under a :chair:; i would rather let you see me :chuckle

[Nurse Hag]

Break what is that. I get to go pee and usually a phone call is for me and they are beating on the bathroom door, or I have the portable and have to answer it in the bathroom. I can tell you there is a trick to answering the phone on the throne, taking care of personal things talking on the phone, while washing hands properly and trying not to give your location out at the same time. Where I work if you don't smoke we step out with the smokers AKA the DON and talk to her while she smokes. Everyone seems to know where to find us.

[MQ Edna]

As a smoker I feel I need to respond. In my unit I am the only smoker..but not the only one who will get a break. I will go out and have a cigarette..one..while the others will sleep for their full one hour fifteen minutes and I happily cover for them just like they cover for me. No complaining on either side of the coin. They sleep and I smoke fair trade off:zzzzz

[PsychoRN]

What break???????????????????

[mark_LD_RN]

who's picking it's the truth, the only person here that gets a regular break is the 2 smokers they never mis a break not even the extra ones! been the same everywhere i worked. and don't tell me smokers are more organized so they have time for breaks,they got the same patient load i got and it is not possible to get everything done and get that many breaks. but i must say they do have good timing, they always leave when their iv's are running dry or patient needs to get to restroom for first time. how lucky can they be!

GOD i think i am going to take up smoking so i can be more organized and get breaks,and am hopefully going to get as lucky as them and avoid some work. just let the nonsmokers do it since they have nothing better to do!