This topic has been bothering me a lot lately. I would love to know your thoughts and experiences! I am a new RN working on a cardiac unit. Since I have been on this floor, I have observed and experienced first hand how many of the nurses do NOT get a break during their 8 and 12 hour shifts. If we do take a break, we have to find someone on the floor who can cover our typically 4-5 patients. Our charge nurses do NOT cover lunches and our parent shifters are not used for this, either. There have been many days when I went home after working 13 plus hours and not sitting down once or being able to use the bathroom.
Is this COMMON in the nursing profession? According to wage and hour federal laws, we are entitled to a break.
This frustrates me as I think we are all entitled to some time away and I do not feel it is our responsibility to find our own coverage.
What are you guys finding out in the nursing community? Do you swipe a "no lunch?" Is this even SAFE? Technically, this employer is violating wage and hour laws by not freeing the nurses up for a break.
Please share your thoughts and experiences with me. I think this practice is wrong and I would like to implement change...I just do not know how.
Some days it is simply not possible because you are running the whole shift. Also, taking the 30 minutes makes you stay even longer and then you get harrassed about that.
Where I work we are supposed to get two 15 minute breaks and a half hour lunch that is unpaid. I can count on one hand the number of times I had a 30 minute lunch break. We are expected to take report, answer our phones, etc through lunch. I have never taken my 15 minute breaks. When you ask some of the charge nurses to cover they make you feel like you are incompetent with your time management or say they are too busy. We are chronically understaffed because people are getting sick or injuring themselves by going like a bat outta h*ll the entire time they are there. This isn't rocket science. If they would treat people like humans and allow them to eat and use the bathroom, they would be amazed at the improved morale and less turnover rate. My facility does not do exit interviews, I wonder why?
nurses have way too much on their plates during a shift. Prioritizing patient care often means we neglect our own basic needs, like using the bathroom or even staying hydrated. But it's critical to advocate for ourselves and push back against the culture that normalizes this. Taking a few minutes to go to the bathroom isn't just about comfort—it's about our health and well-being, which ultimately impacts the quality of care we provide. Companies / Hospitals need to address staffing and workflow issues so we're not forced into these unhealthy situations.
Yes it's common. There is very little advocacy for nurses to get fair wages or breaks who don't live in California. Labor regulations are not enforced in other states, and in my experience, facilities are not even fined or held accountable for the lowly nurse to get a break. Ironically, big organizations (and I won't name them) that operate in many states that include California will abide by the regulations in California but not in Texas, for example. So organizations snub their Texas nurses, but not their California nurses. How fair is that? In my experience, southern states are abusive toward nurses and healthcare workers.
sistasoul
724 Posts
Some days it is simply not possible because you are running the whole shift. Also, taking the 30 minutes makes you stay even longer and then you get harrassed about that.