Lunch/break question

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So I'm supposed to have a 30 minute lunch break each day and I have been struggling to make that happen. I have tried sending a schedule of when I'll be in/out of the nurse's office to all of the staff. I've tried posting a schedule on my door with my lunch break written on there. I've tried leaving and trying to eat in the teacher's lounge. But I NEVER get my break! They search me out and call for me on the radio and do everything in their power to get me for the littlest things (nosebleeds, tummy aches, etc.) Today I sat in my office while they pounded on the door and ignored them (other than the non-emergent call from an admin about a parent that needed a form...). Any suggestions for what has worked for you? This not eating definitely makes me grumpy in the afternoons LOL

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I'm supposed to get lunch as well. I have closed the door and left, and the front office is pretty good about it.

I won't go to the faculty room, because Ugh, teachers.

Mostly I sit at my desk and shove food down my throat just like I have my entire nursing career.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Leave the building, even if you go sit in your car and eat. Our school secretary has CPR/First aid training and attended the diabetes management class. She is designated to cover when I'm not in the clinic - on or off campus. I leave the campus for my lunch break; not always at the same time but I'm out of that building for 30 minutes. The secretary only calls me while I'm away for weird stuff. The flip side to this is I usually have a list of clinic visitors I have to follow up on after I get back.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

I was worried about this at the start of the year, but it has been working out ok. After I figured out what time would work best, I emailed everyone with what time I would be taking my break. I hang a sign on the door, and I eat in the kitchenette/break room ( I don't go until 1pm, so its quiet). I share a room (wall dividers) with PT/OT/ST gals and am right next to several other classrooms with aides constantly in the hallways. So if I get interuppted at all, its usually just one of them saying "johnny came for his prn meds, I told him to come back in 20 min." or they will tell me when I get back that they gave someone a banddaid or an icepack. They are all great that way. I've actually only had to leave lunch early once and that was when a girl was "coming down the hall with blood gushing from her head". The secretaries will also just go ahead and call home for sick kids and send them out. I got great staff :)

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

I don't have this problem, thankfully. I certainly hope you clock out "no lunch" so you get paid for your "break."

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Rarely get a lunch break. If I do, I have been interrupted for everything from tampons to dental floss. Yes, my principal knows. He is the one who came and got me for dental floss. I gave up fighting it and usually just eat lunch at my desk while I work.

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I eat in the staff room and had to learn to say no. That was really hard for me. I had to remind myself that it is important that I eat and recharge, and that the kids get to eat so so do I! The little things will be OK until I'm done, and I'm still available for real emergencies.

And, luckily most of my teachers call before they send kids, so if I don't answer they don't send. I also put a sign on my door that I'm at lunch and to return later (I don't put a time because when I get interrupted at lunch I take that 5 extra minutes!). And believe me, I've had teachers brings students to see me in the staff room over little things!

I agree with the others to try and leave if you can, but if you can't, really try and get your teachers and administrators on board. The seasoned teachers don't even call during my designated lunch time! And if you miss your designated time, still take a lunch!

I am obviously very passionate about lunch! :) Good luck! You'll get into a groove that works for you.

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Specializes in School Nurse.

Maybe leave 30 minutes early - you are owed that time.

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For my first few years I tried to close my door and eat in my room and I was interrupted EVERY DAY! It really started to get to me so after that I started leaving my office and having lunch in the faculty room with some of my teacher friends. Most days they leave me alone and the front office staff deals with the minor problems, some days they call me on the walkie talkie but I am good about not coming unless it's an emergency. If it gets to be too many days in a row with nonsense calls, I leave the building for lunch and am unavailable. No one wants that so it kind of jolts them back to remembering that I am only to be called for EMERGENCIES. Paper cuts are not emergencies.

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I agree with learning to say no!! If someone asks me for dental floss or any other minor silliness, I tell them to come back and give them a specific time to do so. If we don't respect our own right to eat lunch then nobody else will.

Did I do that my first several years??? No, it took time and many days going home with hypoglycemic induced headaches to toughen me up.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

No lunchtime for me. Tried several years ago and it never flew. Constant "emergencies" and constant interruptions. I bring a sandwich every day. Sliced in four quarters. Takes me several hours to finish it because of meds and pseudo medical problems. I gave up.

Teachers would blow a gasket if they didn't get a "duty free" lunch.

Us......meh !!!

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Specializes in School Nurse.
Praiser said:

Teachers would blow a gasket if they didn't get a "duty free" lunch.

Don't interrupt their planning period either to bring a sick student's backpack

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