Curious to see how other facilities offer lunch breaks, especially on nights, when there are minimum staffing requirements.
I work in an ED/level II trauma center, and we have our core minimum staff overnight. If they leave the department to take a break, that means bad things for our minimum staffing.
Not to mention getting breaks is tough enough, but now there is concern that we leave the department with less than our required minimum of staff.
What are other places doing to combat this?
not as much of an issue on days when leadership and other staff can offer coverage.
I think that every job should have a lunch break, but that is not always the case. I rarely had a lunch break in the 20 years that I have been working and I have worked about six different jobs. I really think that everyone needs to get off the nursing floor and take at least 5-10 minutes, breathe, and close their eyes. I have gone home from my jobs exhausted because I never had at least 10 minutes to myself. I love taking breaks because it is essential to just unwind and enjoy things.
We were short staffed a few times when I worked at the adult day care center. One day, we only had three staff members for the whole day. So, it was hard to get any lunch or even using the restroom. I have been there were there was no lunch break either; in fact I worked several days were I worked 12 hours with no lunch break at all and I was exhausted. I think that there should be at least a 15 minute break to just relax. Lunch breaks are a necessary thing.
Sometimes, I have worked through my lunch time. In fact, I have felt many times where I did not have any lunch at all. Sometimes, I had to force myself to take five minutes and eat due to all of the things that I had to do. I have learned over the years these things:
1. I need to take at least five to ten minutes and eat and drink.
2. I also need at least five minutes by myself to regroup and give my brain a rest.
All of these statements are healthy it is healthy to take breaks during the day.
I guess I'm not understanding. Take your break. Why is it your problem they understand? Seriously? You are entitled to a break. Take it. If you don't, that encourages the culture to understaff. Do you get that? By not taking your break, you are contributing to the problem. Take your break. Not taking it leads to burnout.
Umm, its still your responsibility if your patient tanks while you are on break, especially if your " relief" has their own patient tanking.
So this means on a stepdown unit your relief will be watching 10 patients.
Charge has also been carrying patient loads too.
I mean, how do you go to lunch if your pt isnt stable.
Trouble is that's been happening a lot lately.
eta: oh, and they are not "understaffing. we're told that is the staffing pattern. That's that.Too bad, so sad.
I now work in an assisted living facility as a nurse/activity aide and whenever I work an 8 hour day, it is mandatory that I leave the unit and go to a very quiet place which is the fifth floor and eat lunch. I love this idea because my floor that I work in is usually the memory care unit and it really helps to have that time to take a break. I need time to break and eat something; therefore I am so glad that all staff that work 6-8 hours must take a break.
I work in the third floor memory care unit at the assisted living facility and they are short staffed sometimes and sometimes cannot leave the nursing floor. I have the advantage in that I can work the shift that I need to work and take a lunch break as well which is so nice because I really need a break from the nursing floor. I cherish my breaks. I am so thankful for my breaks and for my job.
Mhays
190 Posts
I think that every job should have a lunch break, but that is not always the case. I rarely had a lunch break in the 20 years that I have been working and I have worked about six different jobs. I really think that everyone needs to get off the nursing floor and take at least 5-10 minutes, breathe, and close their eyes. I have gone home from my jobs exhausted because I never had at least 10 minutes to myself. I love taking breaks because it is essential to just unwind and enjoy things.