Nurses can eat properly if they manage their time

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Mar 25, 2015

where i work we are required to take at least 30 minutes to eat..

I worked for a facility that said this. Nice, big sign by the time clock stating that everyone is required to take a 30 minute lunch break....the unwritten part was when you are the only licensed person in the building and a resident is a)on the floor, b)choking on their own meal/snack, or c)having another type of medical emergency, you get to swipe your badge, clock back in, and forget about the lunch you just pulled out of the fridge. I worked two days a week and this would happen at least half the time. I rarely saw a full 30 minutes. I just completely the variance form explaining that a resident had a medical emergency and a nurse was needed. All was forgiven.

However, what I did eat was healthy, and usually in a few quick bites at a time to get enough to last me through the 12-16 hour day, so that I wouldn't collapse on the floor next to the resident but not have anyone trained who could render aide to me. They would just have to call the paramedics I guess.

BrandonLPN, LPN · Mar 25, 2015

Sounds like you have some real issues. Well I am overweight but I am not sitting here expecting anyone to feel sorry for me because as an adult I have to take care of me. But you are definitely contradicting your role as a nurse. Not everyone can be a size 2 yet most of us know the dangers of obesity, smoking, and using illicit drugs, we are human with flaws, vices, and bad habits. No one is perfect. The reality depending on what unit you may practice eating a meal can be a challenge on a busy night but thank goodness those kind of nights do no happen often. I bring my own dinner so what is your point to it all?

No, being fat is not a contradiction of a nurse's role. The role is to provide competent nursing care. The role is not to serve as a paragon of healthy living. Of course obese people should lose weight. Of course the sedentary should exercise. Of course smokers should quit. We can educate these things to our patients without being living examples.

Any patient who dismisses teaching from a physician or a nurse because they're fat is an idiot.

RNfaster · Mar 25, 2015

I eat healthily at work as I bring my own lunch. The cafeteria does not have many healthy or appealing options... Too much fried food, anemic attempts at "ethnic" cuisines, overcooked stuff, and portions that are too large...

Years ago, I worked at a California office (not nursing) that regularly brought in a sushi chef... fresh sushi/sashimi... nice. I wish we had better (or more diverse) food for staff, and patients. I think hospitals try to go more toward what is mainstream...avoid risk. I would eat in the cafeteria just about every day if they had fresh sashimi/sushi (not pre-packaged stuff).

At work I often eat too fast. I find myself doing this when the shift has been busy and I did not have time to eat my snacks, so I have to eat everything all in one sitting. Most that I work with have time to eat. --This was not the case in other facilities, however. Where one works can make a big difference.

darliff · Mar 25, 2015

Its funny, I have far more time to eat as a nurse than I did in my previous job as a cook in a busy restaurant. I picked up fast eating habits there that still hold true now.

LPN With An Attitude · Mar 25, 2015

The truth be told, it is not possible to take your mandatory 30 minute break at work at a typical nursing home or a hospital. The unit managers get to eat their buckets of greasy chicken at the nurse's desk, but if they see a floor nurse attempt to do it, that is grounds for a write up. If you actually take those 30 minutes to relax, you are usually paged (which means you can't relax at all) and you will have to stay over 30 minutes on your free time to get the never ending, frivolous, irrelevant, redundant, and totally unnecessary paper work done because the government, in typical idiotic fashion, believes that the quality of care can be measured by charting. Just when you think they couldn't possibly come out with more regulations or paperwork, they sure as heck find a way, tying our hands, preventing us from getting our work done, and a break? You have got to be kidding me. I haven't been on a break in 18 years and if I got to scarf down leftovers, I had to hide somewhere and choke it down in 2-3 minutes before one of the management parasites can see me (again, most of them eat at the desk or in their clean, air conditioned little cubicles, and some of them will let their snitches eat at the desk and pretend not to see it but the rest of us floor slaves, forget your snack, your break, and over time, your physical and mental health and as they are trying to chase out the seasoned veterans for green fresh graduates because they can pay them less, your job and your career. I now do homecare. It's feast or famine, but I don't dread going into work, my ulcers have healed, my blood pressure is down, and I do actually get to eat 3 balanced meals in a civilized manner. You can't put a price tag on your peace of mind. my advice is try to get into homecare and ditch the nursing home or the hospital

SWM2009 · Mar 25, 2015

I work in a LTC facility. I get to take a 30 minute lunch break most of the time. Once or twice a month stuff may hit the fan during lunch and I end up missing it, but most of the time I can sit down and eat a proper lunch. Also, the facility provides free lunch/dinner and beverages (coffee, tea, milk, water) for staff.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Mar 25, 2015

I work in a LTC facility. I get to take a 30 minute lunch break most of the time. Once or twice a month stuff may hit the fan during lunch and I end up missing it, but most of the time I can sit down and eat a proper lunch. Also, the facility provides free lunch/dinner and beverages (coffee, tea, milk, water) for staff.

You must work at a good one because at the nursing homes I've worked at I've never had time to sit down & eat. They didn't provide free for or drinks.

LPN With An Attitude · Mar 25, 2015

Cheezwizz, are you that judgmental about your patients? Do you always make grand generalizations like most of the women posting here being obese? I am 6'4", 230 lb male nurse so I don't fit your stereotype and if you are that judgmental maybe you should consider a different line of work. I wouldn't want you taking care of me or any of my loved ones.

SWM2009 · Mar 25, 2015

You must work at a good one because at the nursing homes I've worked at I've never had time to sit down & eat. They didn't provide free for or drinks.

Indeed I do. I have read plenty of posts here about what it is like at other LTCs to realize I am lucky to work where I do.

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Mar 26, 2015

I've never seen a bariatric chair for the nurses, has anyone else? Now on the other hand we have bariatric beds for patients used all the time! I really want to know Cheezwhiz where you work that they have actual bariatric chairs for the nurses, tell us all please!

martymoose, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2015

geez , for being judgmental about all us fatties out there , cheezewhiz has got to be the most unhealthiest snack in existence - why would you have that as a name?? closet fattie?? oh im sorry , closet person of size haha.

maybe I'll change my name to carrotstick.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2015

Yikes, angry much? I must have missed something.....but I'm thinking I'm ok with that.

I haven't looked on his/her profile activity, but every time I've noticed that person is to bash the overweight. S/he has a special amount of vitriol toward obese RNs, because apparently being A Good Example of Health is part of the nursing process.