Lunch Everyone? Am I paranoid or what?

[NancyJo]

The people I work with all like to have lunch together and frankly it scares me to death. Pretty much everyday all the nurses and CNA's go to lunch together. If someone doesn't show up they call each other on the phone. Now granted they all eat in a breakroom on the floor and have their cell phones with them, but often I am the only one on the floor. I'm often criticized for being a worry wart. I have on two occasions had the staff paged overhead to rooms where a pt. has fallen. These occured within a week of each other. Both times I and a housekeeper were the only ones there. On both occasions at least one of the nurses responding has said I'm glad you heard them. So i used their comment to get my point across, "what if I had been in a room?" No response and right back in to the same routine the next day. I usually don't go to lunch until after all are back and often miss my chance to go, but cannot in good conscience leave a floor unattended. Have discussed with charge nurses, the director etc, but to no avail. I know that it is hard to get to lunch and we need to take advantage when the opportunity arises, but come on we need to use a little common sense. I see this as a major safety issue. Am I being paranoid or what?

[MandyInMS]

Sounds like you need a new charge nurse..I've worked shifts where meal breaks weren't a problem, others where breaks had to be assigned(when everybody would 'dissapear' at the same time)...pt safety #1 !!!

[Katnip, RN]

You definitely need to take this up with your nurse manager. What did they do before you came along? Just left the patients alone?

It's a very dangerous situation for patients and for your license. If you accept report for all the patients while everyone else is at lunch, then you are responsible for anything that happens to them.

[Limik]

Totally unacceptable. :angryfire We always had to rotate lunches so there was always equal coverage at all times. This seems just plain insane to me and even more so that the DON doesn't seem to have a problem with this. You are having to put your license as well as pt sfety at risk every day this happens. Let them know in no uncertain terms you will not allow this one more day!

Limik

[lyceeboo]

Totally unacceptable !!! as well as very Dangerous!!! I would absolutely refuse to be left on the floor alone. If the nurse manager doesn't agree, sounds like they don't care? I'd get the heck out of there. Your license is on the line, Run girl run.......!

I agree. If the director and charge nurse did not act on your complaint get out of there!!!!!!!! There are places where you can deliver safe care.