minimum staffing and lunch breaks - enemies??

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

The obvious answer is better staffing. There is no other "good" solution ...just the "bad" solutions (that aren't really solutions) that you're already doing.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

I am lucky if get lunch. I work days. Lunch is about 1400-1500 and maybe 10-15 min. I usually pack stuff that is quick like a protein bar, yogurt. There is no such thing as an undisturbed 30 min lunch.

floridaRN38 · Jun 20, 2016

I am at a level 1 trauma center. During the day charge or float nurse covers you for a 45 minute break. On nights the nurses cover each other. So a nurse could be watching 10 pts while the other is on break.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jun 20, 2016

There is NO combating this. Administration KNOWS any break time will lead to unsafe staffing levels.

Administration will now make the staff accountable for NOT taking their LEGAL break time. To the point of writing you up for it.

It's a NO win situation... move on.

wisconurse16 · Jun 22, 2016

OK, so you technically drop below your core minimum staffing while the person is gone on their break right? I'm guessing that the staff are essentially on "call back" to the dept should things get chaotic, but we are trying to explore if there are ways to allow staff to not have to be on "call back" so that it's a true break. I appreciate the info - always good to see what others are doing!!

NewMurse1014 · Jun 22, 2016

In our facility, we have a dedicated lunch and break nurse who covers other nurses when they go on lunch/breaks. By contract we are entitled to take a 30 min lunch and two 15 min breaks in an 8 hr shift. We combine them into 1 hr break. During the hr the L/B nurse is the substitute of the primary nurse and is responsible for all his/her pts. We usually give the nurse a brief report on our pts and ask the nurse to do some small tasks before we go (taking vitals, reposition pts, etc). Having a L/B nurse on the floor is a big help and maybe the solution to your situation.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 23, 2016

30 min lunch and two 15 min breaks in an 8 hr shift

I am lucky to pee in a 12 hour shift!!!! I wish we had something like the L/B nurse. Even 20 min of uninterrupted time would be great.

Mhays · Jun 23, 2016

I am so sorry about this. Taking breaks should be a law when you work so many hours and some places do abide by the "taking a break law when you work so many hours," but some places do not. I worked in most places where I did not have a break at all during the day and I worked 8-12 hours shifts. I was so tired when I got home. I had to eat on the floor at the adult day care center and watch the participants eat their lunch. Sometimes, I had to feed a patient before I could eat my lunch. When I was a school nurse, I had to eat lunch with my students and if an emergency came up, I had to attend to that before I could eat anything and I worked 8-12 hour shifts and got no breaks either. I believe the only thing that anyone can do is to go to your charge nurse or nurse supervisor and tell them your concerns. I wish you the best.

Elfriede · Jun 25, 2016

"..........................!!!"

The only "break" I know belongs to my car. Wellcome at homenursing.

peacockblue · Jun 25, 2016

No breaks while I was in the hospital. Maybe a grab an go granola bar. Now as a school nurse, I get to eat but it is with students, rarely with adults. I tried to eat with the "grown ups" one day last school year and the principal came and got me out of lunch because a student had something stuck in his teeth and wanted dental floss. That's when I gave up and just started eating in my office while I saw students for their " urgent" needs.

learner1108 · Jun 25, 2016

On my Ortho unit, we clocked out for lunch and in like we were supposed to, but didn't leave the floor or actually sit down in the break room to eat for longer than 5 mins.