NO LUNCH??? NO BREAKS??? Is that common in nursing?????

dallet6 · Apr 1, 2009

I'm very confused about all these posts about not wanting to stir the fire because you couldn't possibly find another job... The nursing shortage is getting worse every year. Google search your area, there are thousands of jobs for nurses. And for nurses with exp like you all....don't just take it laying down, there's alot more out there.

SoundofMusic · Apr 1, 2009

I usually get lunch every day, but on day shift, I have to track down someone to watch my patients. Now granted, we all try to get our pts to a point where they are "OK" for 30 mins so the nurse doesn't have to do much. Sometimes people are available, and sometimes not.

What gets me is seeing the unit managers leave the floor in the a.m. "to go get breakfast", or lunch, or what have you. Whatever they want, whenever they want. I don't know if they think we don't see it, or what -- but I find it infuriating. Not once in over a year have any of those people EVER asked me if I'd like a coffee, or a snack, or "can I bring you something back." I just love seeing my manager get her 1130 lunch. But of course, she goes home at, what, like 4 p.m?

I rarely get my 15 min a.m. break -- rarely. Forget the so-called dinner break. But, I DO absolutely use the bathroom when I need to.

I agree a teensy bit about time management. If you are goofing and socializing all a.m. and don't get caught up -- you may NOT have time for lunch by 2 p.m. It just depends. But generally, nurses should be helping the new ones and encouraging them to be caught up as much as they can.

I think it's one of the most frustrating things about nursing at the moment. I don't know how they can work this particular sector of the workforce like they do and get away with it. I suppose nurses shoudl demand more -- but we're all too exhausted, I think. They do the onece a year employee satisfaction thing and boy, do I REAM them on this point in the survey. I sure hope other nurses do also.

Xbox Live Addict · Apr 1, 2009

In most jobs, breaks, let alone meals, were a luxury. If I did sit down for a meal, 9 times out of ten an admin nurse or a CNA would be dragging me back to the floor. We weren't allowed to leave for lunch. The same admin nurses would routinely leave for hour-long lunches at good restaurants. I regularly got the old "time management" spiel when I protested. I live and work in a Right-to-Work state which is one of the most union-hostile in the United States.

In my current job, which is not in a hospital or LTC, we're mandated to take breaks and will get in trouble if we don't take them, partly due to the fact that overtime is a big no-no here.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Apr 1, 2009

I'm very confused about all these posts about not wanting to stir the fire because you couldn't possibly find another job... The nursing shortage is getting worse every year. Google search your area, there are thousands of jobs for nurses. And for nurses with exp like you all....don't just take it laying down, there's alot more out there.

Thousands fof jobs for nurses? What planet are you living on???

I'd be lucky to find a replacement job within a month! Sorry, but in this economy, hospitals are only accepting the best of the best and many fine nurses are being turned down for jobs. Right now, the power is in the hands of The Powers That Be.

And there certainly is not thousands of jobs out there, lol.

meluhn · Apr 1, 2009

We never get a break, if we do it is maybe 20 minutes, not leaving the floor just inhaling our food in the lounge. Our 3 nurse managers would never dream of covering for us yet they routinely cover for the unit secretaries so they can take a break. They do however, take an hour themselves and all sit in the lounge laughing and talking with the other managers, sw, case managers etc. I compensate by filling in for "no break" and rounding up when I sign out. It is quite a ****** but it has always been this way.

aloevera · Apr 1, 2009

I'm very confused about all these posts about not wanting to stir the fire because you couldn't possibly find another job... The nursing shortage is getting worse every year. Google search your area, there are thousands of jobs for nurses. And for nurses with exp like you all....don't just take it laying down, there's alot more out there.

I have said before, there is no nursing shortage.....at least not in my area....I work PRN at a hospital and sometimes fill in as PRN ADON....we get so many applications it is unbelievable....we are using more PRN's now instead of full timers (I guess to save on benefit $$) and believe me, there is not shortage here !!!!! :wink2:

Before long, I fear there will be an over flux of nurses and our pay will be nil........

TweetiePieRN · Dec 16, 2009

It certainly is common. That is, unless youre in California. Out there they have ratios (on your unit you could have no more than 4 pts ever). Thanks to those ratios they are not allowed to cover each other for lunch or they would go over the ratio for those 30 min. So they have special nurses that come in just to relieve the others for their lunches, and thus, they get their lunch breaks every single shift. It's like a different country in California for nurses. In the rest of this country, you eat as you work many times, if at all, even though it's a 12 hour shift. We dont have such vocal nurses who demand their rights. They just take it lying down like good little downtrodden employees.

I live in California and while we do have ratios and we are unionized...I work alongside martyrs who do not take breaks. We do have 2 nurses who are "supposed" to be breaking us, but the reality is...they are being saddled w/ more tasks from management and being bogged down in things such as stocking nurse supplies, doing all the staffing needs for the dept, assisting w/ other patient care duties, and the list goes on. We are not being offered the breaks, except for the 30 mins meal breaks. I'm probably one of the few who just started (been a nurse more than 5 yrs) taking my 15 min breaks. I feel a lot happier doing this, but I get attitude for asking for one. If I don't get one, I claim it and get paid 1 hour time for it.

SoundofMusic · Dec 17, 2009

Well, yes, it's common. Sort of. I don't live in California. What I experience is that my lunch is my responsibility and I have to find another nurse to cover for me, and I cover for them. Sometimes this is ok, sometimes you get stuck w/ 30 minutes of covering too many patients and doing ever more tasks. And, on other more slower days, you might get a nice 30-40 min break w/ no interupptions. It just depends.

Usually I get a break, which is what is nice about our unit, and yes, most tasks CAN wait 30 mins while I eat, but many days I might only get about 20 minutes for lunch, and maybe 10 minutes in the a.m. and in the p.m. I try to fit in small breaks throughout the day if that is all I can get. We are told to "buddy up" and 75% of the time that works, but then you just have those "days."

The bad thing is that on most days, our multiple managers and charge wandering the floor doing who-knows-what will NOT cover you, will not offer, WILL cover the sacred secretary, yet will never upon point of death ask to cover a nurse. Why they do this to nurses is beyond me. One of the most demoralizing things is to see the managers laughing and leisurely strolling around w/ hot coffee, or heading off to luncheons early when your'e stupified from lack of coffee or food and are up to your eyeballs in trouble and call lights.

And they wonder why many nurses tend to leave the profession or find non-hospital type settings to work in?

On my floor, I made a big push to have a coffee fund so all the nurses can have coffee when they need it. I can often be found walking around w/ coffee in my hand as I go from room to room. If I can't take a break, at least I can take my break with me!

I just don't get why managers cannot take an hour out of their day to give nurses true breaks where they can sit w/ their phone off and relax -- just 30 minutes out of a 12 hour day!! With 6-7 nurses on the floor, that would only take 3-4 mgrs to give 1 hr of their time everyday. Maybe if they actually came out on the floor for this time, they could work on customer satisfaction issues and check out what is actually going on in the rooms. But it seems they'd just rather . . . not. What a boost to morale that would actually be.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Dec 18, 2009

I have read through this entire thread. I have had my days of no lunch but this is not an everyday occurence. I transitioned to RN last year after being an LVN for 18 years. The second semester we were merged with the brand new (never been in nursing) students. Clinicals were interesting. I have been working in an acute care facility for many years. I recall seeing lots of "deer in the headlight" looks from some, others were totally terrified, some hid from the instructors and others were too scared to open their mouths. Many would refuse to take lunches because they were still "gathering data", "looking up a med for a drug card" or "promised their patient a shave". None of which were critical or a safety issue to the patient. I always took the opportunity to make sure they knew the importance of taking care of themselves first. I gave the "You are not an Angel of Mercy nor a martyr" speech many many times. I am not sure if it sank in but I felt that is was my duty to take these nurses-in-the-making under my wing.

I, too, agree that sometimes it is a time management thing. However, there are days when you could never time manage the amount of things that have to be done. Those are what I call "Putting out Fires" days. You must put the fire out or the entire building will burn around you. Other times, a staffing issue (someone calls out sick late and replacement cannot be found). I would guess that we all agree that a continuous problem of not being able to pee or eat is a management/administration problem.

I would like to bring up another point: Routinely being that busy for a continuous 12, 13, or 14 hour period every single time you work sounds unsafe to me. I know needing a job to pay mortgage and bills is crucial but we all worked hard for our license. I would be concerned about losing mine working under those conditions day after day (especially if I were not able to take care of myself by going to the bathroom, getting off my feet for a bit or eat a well deserved meal).

It is easy to say "go find another job". I feel for those of you who are stuck in places without other nursing opportunities. However, I am an advocate for trying to change things even if I hear "this is the way things have always been" or "this is just the way we do things around here". We need to be responsible for our profession, stand up for it and fight for it. I agree with the poster who said to band together with petitions, find articles on nurse fatigue leading to bad patient outcomes, bring up the staffing issue at meetings, and find the time to go through the chain of command. I am not talking about being obnoxious and loud. Be professional and informed about it. Let management know that these things affect patient safety and that that is important. Keep talking to your fellow nurses. Come together as a unit and help each other try to find the time for a break or meal. Keep at it and don't give up!!! I know none of these things are a guarentee for change but you will have a better shot than if you had done nothing at all.

nicurn001 · Dec 18, 2009

Genaral E. Speaking , I agree with you that you should use the routes available to try to change the culture of your workplace through commitee's or the chain of command to obtain proper break / meal coverage .But I feel too many nurses ( as I think is evidenced by some responses to this thread show ), either simply accept status quo , or after trying to change ,get disheartened and give up , or simply vote with there feet and move on to a hopefully better job .

We should take it as a professional rsponsibility , to maintain safe patient care , by ensuring nurses are working at their optimum by being adequately rested ( so they can think straight ) , fed ( so they don't keel over , from hypoglycemia ) toileted and that there are enough staff to fulfill all care necessary safely .At the end of the day if having used all resources available to you through your employer / fellow nurses , I would suggest nurses should look to collective action , whether through a professional association ( as long as it is prepared to get management to change ) or a union .

sunnycalifRN · Dec 19, 2009

I live in California and while we do have ratios and we are unionized...I work alongside martyrs who do not take breaks. We do have 2 nurses who are "supposed" to be breaking us, but the reality is...they are being saddled w/ more tasks from management and being bogged down in things such as stocking nurse supplies, doing all the staffing needs for the dept, assisting w/ other patient care duties, and the list goes on. We are not being offered the breaks, except for the 30 mins meal breaks. I'm probably one of the few who just started (been a nurse more than 5 yrs) taking my 15 min breaks. I feel a lot happier doing this, but I get attitude for asking for one. If I don't get one, I claim it and get paid 1 hour time for it.

I also work in California and I "second" your statement. We only have one "resource" nurse who helps with everything, including breaks . . . but, in ICU, one bad patient can suck up the resource for hours at a time. We almost always get our 30 min lunch but sometimes "lunch" is at 4 - 5 pm (start time 7:30) . . . breaks . . . totally depends on the day . . . sometimes yes, sometimes no . . . but we do get paid for "no break", although only straight time.

Mudwoman · Dec 19, 2009

Management will tell you that you are responsible for making time for your breaks and lunch. If you don't take it, it is your own fault: not theirs----therefore don't dare clock "no lunch" more than once in your career. The situation you describe happens all the time in this profession, and has been the norm for a long, long time. For us nurses, it is a no win situation. I have begun taking "snacks" to work instead of any type of meal and I take 5-10 min every 2 hrs to just go into the break room and eat a few bites of a power bar or piece of fruit and drink down some water. It helps keep me going. I usually do this when I have to go fetch something for a patient. I get my two 15 min breaks and my 30 min lunch------just in a different allotment of time.