mismissy69

this is an issue that I am currently batteling, look at the "looking down on nurses who take a lunch break" forum for more info

I agree with everything you are saying I just wanted to see what others thought about this situation. I am in a new place so I cannot safely speak my mind, but when I can everybody better look out!!!!!!!!!!!!

nussing is a team effort there is no way you are gonna know eveything and to sit here and downgrade anyone who in your words is "below" you and you are just a student is very offensive. i have met nurses who have had their bachelors & masters in this profession and don't know what to do when something critical has happened or something that common sense would tell you to do or that "nurses instinct" that you have ,would have to do if an unfortunate situation arises because they thought they were above & beyond floor nurses.

DON'T EVER SAY THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you are integral part of your staff. This is another thing I am sick of, some RN's thinking they are better than LPN's. There are some people who have been LPN's for 20 years and know more than a person who has been an RN for 20 minutes. This is why I left the previous facility I was at, for lack of respect. In some instances it takes what 12 more months at most to become an RN if you are an LPN, at least in my state. so what makes them better. The only thing that we can't do (and yes I am an LPN) that the RN's can't do is assess, hang blood, run Iv's on a central line and start IV's everything else is fair game. So don't sell yourself short you are important!

I agree whole heartedly with you, I just wish I could say that lol I'll just have to wait 60 days :)

why does it seem that healthcare is more concerned with petty issues than the ones that really count? I am so sick of all the petty BS. How about this if I wear some shoes that arent comfortable to me and my feet swell and I can barely stand Im not coming to work, theres gonna be alot of sick time used and Dr;s notes presented. Maybe you should argue that point. there are so many other major things that people do that spread infection that should be focused on besides the shoes that people wear. Maybe we should dress in metal and go through a sterilization machine and stand in a below zero temperature room to keep down micro organisms before we enter pt's room yeah that a good idea lets keep the nurses in a freezer so we can cut down on infection, thats gonna be next. Get ready guys lol

you're licensed thats all the more reason you should have a break. Im not diabetic but I know when my BS gets low I dont feel right physically or mentally and I start to shake, so I know I need to get something in my system, now can you imagine if I worked 8+ hours like that. Nothing would be right then who's license would be on the line???

hmm I will have to look into to that, I am not in the union so I cant go there but maybe I can call the labor board and see what they say but it's not affecting me right now because I make sure to take my break. Im just sick of the BS that comes with it. I am very outspoken and when something is not right I definately speak up on it. It's just killing me that I have to bite my tongue. Im telling you theres gonna be a night when I leave work and have to go to the ER to get an emergency blood transfusion due to a major tongue hemorrhage

unfortunately i think the phrase that nurses eat their young is true. in my experience i have seen how other nurses can be. when you're new your an outsider and they have to feel you out first so they treat you like a stepchild, the one's that have been at the job forvever see you as a job threat ahhh then comes the cliques, where if you dont fall in they try to make your life hell. i think it's all childish and i think that sometimes people forget the reason why they became nurses. we are here to help & take care of people not to play catty immature high school girls trying to be most popular. again this is my personal experience and opinion im not talking about everybody. there are some nice ones out there who are genuine and embrace new nurses but more than likely those are the ones who arent in the clique and are going about their business. at one facility i worked at there was only one and she was the sweetest thing and everyone talked about her like a dog which i thought was dead wrong, but maybe it was because they thought or knew they couldnt measure up to her.

see if we are caught with anything at the desk it's an automatic write up because the idiots in administration see that there is no reason what so ever that you shouldnt get a lunch break, they wont even pay us if we claim that we didn't have one so it's a catch 22 & im not trying to be argumentive or catty but how can you dispute something that is required by law that you do? Most of the time when I do take a break it's not even a half hour cause I take a few bites of something & im full thanks to GBS :) but I still get the remarks and looks.

thats how it is here there is a smoking ban in public places but the residents do have a smoking room, also there is an outdoor patio connected to the unit where it states no one is supposed to be smoking but some seem to think they are above the law and go out there anyway. so how does that look to a resident or their family member to see a bunch of staff members puffing on cigs in an area thats desingnated for their loved ones and 8 call lights going off when they come to visit.

sorry to vent you guys but I also notice that when theres a change of shift & the new nurse comes on thats the first thing they mention " I didn't even get a dinner break" wah wah wah but they fail to mention I smoked 4x every hour, called my husband & kids talked to them about a half an hour and told my story of how my week was for about 45 minutes. i even had one nurse tell me well take your break but enjoy it while you can cause it wont be that way for long, *** is that??

ok so what do you do when you are short staffed and you're not allowed to eat at the nurses station & your nurse is feeling faint or lightheaded? do you let him/her take a moment to eat or take the risk of her going home sick and you being there by yourself? This is the type of situation I encountered sunday. I felt like i was gonna drop at any second and finally at 10pm (I work 2nd ) I said you know what im taking a break and after i put something in my stomach I felt better mentally & physically

thank you all for your input also what im noticing is the nurses that I work with dont get out on to the floor until like 20-25 min after report because they want to socialize, take 50 million smoke breaks and call their families instead of getting out there and starting their work and maybe if they started their work in a timely manner they would be able to take a break. I want to say this so bad but I am a new employee so i don't think thats the right thing to do at this time. Im just sick of feeling guilty because I take my break, which might I add we are entitled to to take 2 15 min breaks which I dont I just take my 1 lunch and thats it and most of the time it's a late one because I get so caught up that I loose track of time

I just wanted to see if any of you other Nurses look down on those who take lunch breaks. I am working at a new facility and when I go to take my lunch break I notice I get smart little looks and comments. Now I make sure that all my patients are comfortable and not in need of anything before I go so that no one has to do my work. Now you guys know that as nurses sometimes you just need to take a moment to yourself especially when you are stressed and I feel that I should not have to explain, feel guilty or be belittled because im taking my lunch break which # 1 I am not payed for & # 2 is required by law. I just want to know how you others feel about this subject and has anyone of you encountered this same situation.