Night Shift meals

gwenith, BSN, RN · Nov 1, 2006

Before the Union traded it away we used to be supplied a "meal" but believe me you do NOT want to face a can of chilli baked beans and sausages in the middle of a night shift!

Gennaver, MSN · Nov 8, 2006

Was wondering if there are any hospitals (midsized) that have any type of cafeteria/coffee shop services available to their night shift employees or do you have to bring your own or call for delivery of fast food or do vending machines?
I know most hospitals have some type of vending services available, but im talking about a real coffe shop type situation where you can go in, buy a cup of latte or a hot sandwich off a grill from a real person? Maybe something open a few hours a night say between 10pm and 2am?

Which part of the state are you asking about? I've worked at two hospitals that had the cafeteria cooking all night long, one even had a 24 hour Starbucks. However, I've never worked for a hospital that provided meals for you, you paid.

Gen

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2006

I was wondering about cafeteria services during the night time hours actually. At present we have nothing but vending and a bad coffee machine. I am working on a project with a couple other fellow employees and we decided we would try to align something for night shift employees so there would be some various hot drinks, various made to order sandwiches (warm and cold), maybe some soups or desserts. Other shifts are able to use their badges to charge their foods to be deducted from their paychecks when the cafeteria services are open during normal meal times. We just feel the night shift deserves to be able to have something edible and be able to use their deduction benefit too instead of having to take cash in and use vending machines. We have had several instances of people having money and wallets stolen, so that would hellp with that issue too.

I would love to see them get Starbucks, or other gourmet coffee service for night shift people (and i dont even drink coffee).

I am really just putting feelers out to see if any other hospitals in the state that arent giagantic facilities have offered anything and how well it went over with employees.

flytern · Nov 10, 2006

Work the night shift. No cafeteria available. However, we have a "Cup of Joe's" area in the main lobby of the hospital. Provides ready made sandwiches, usually 2 kinds of soups, fruit smoothies, specialty coffees, ready made salads. It is manned by 1 cafeteria staff member, monday - friday (no weekends). We pay, either by payroll deduction/cash. It is convenient, but it's the same food night after night. Gets old if you work 3-4 nites in a row!

:balloons: :balloons:

clemmm78, RN · Nov 11, 2006

Nope, never in any of the places I've worked nights from acute care to rehab. Now I'm in a 9 bed palliative care residence and there really is nothing, we bring our own.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2006

I've worked in a couple of mid-sized hospitals on the night shift where they had full cafeteria service on the night shift between distinct service hours, usually a two hour window where hot meals were served from the steam counters and they could grill items. I've also been in places where food was just brought out of the kitchen refrigerators by the supervisors and the staff just dug in and reheated what they took. One place left trays of servings in racks that were brought out of the refrigerators by the supervisors and all the staff had to do was re-warm the food in the microwaves. In other places, we had a file of menus for places we could order from and get delivery or have someone go out to pickup. When that was going on, there was a lot of pre-planning. I can recall people picking up orders of subs from places like Subway on their way to work for a whole group of people. Potlucks were popular too.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2006

We are working on it now. Will let ya know what we are able to get accomplished. All the hospitals ive surveyed dont do much but vending for their night shifters. We are hoping to make some subtle changes to that so at least night shift people have a little more variety.

I figure why be the one to follow others, be the leader and let everyone else follow. So maybe i can come back with some good news soon.

mstigerlily · Nov 21, 2006

In response to our replies to nursing surveys, our hospitals serves hot meals, grill plus cold sandwiches and deli items, etc between 1am-3am for night shift staff and the occasional late night visitor (usually new dads who have been up with a laboring mom). However, our food in general isn't that great so I usually bring my own anyway.

Was wondering if there are any hospitals (midsized) that have any type of cafeteria/coffee shop services available to their night shift employees or do you have to bring your own or call for delivery of fast food or do vending machines?
I know most hospitals have some type of vending services available, but im talking about a real coffe shop type situation where you can go in, buy a cup of latte or a hot sandwich off a grill from a real person? Maybe something open a few hours a night say between 10pm and 2am?

sziq1 · Jan 4, 2007

Rockford Memorial's cafe opens at 2am for the night shift. It doesn't have the whole spread like they do during the day and evening but it is usually stuff like the grill, and salad bar and once a week they make a rockin breakfast! The problem is then after you eat you get sleepy!!!

nursebrandie28, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2007

At Barnes Jewish Hospital in STL they have everyhhing 24 hrs a day

However, at a small poke-dunk hospital, where i work now, there is just leftovers from day shift that they put in the small cafeteria fridge for free

Most of it, however, is unidentifiable

NICU_babyRN, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2007

Every hosptial I have worked at has cafeteria services through the night!