psych nursing and lunches

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 29, 2013

I'm not a lawyer, and we can't give legal advice. But I think their forcing you to work while off the clock violates employment laws. I'd check with a lawyer who is versed in that area.

As for us, California law forces employers to pay us an hour's salary if we do not get a full 30 minute lunch, so they do whatever they can to ensure that we get our lunch breaks. Also, if we start working during lunch, then it's considered a short lunch break and, yes, we get the full hour's salary because we didn't get the full 30 minutes.

So they do not tolerate staff having working lunches even if it's the staff member's choice.

aroyce · Oct 29, 2013

Thank you so much, your post really helped me.

puravidaLV · Oct 29, 2013

If your having lunch leave the floor. I leave the building.

paufortaleza · Oct 29, 2013

just leave the building when you take your lunch. i enjoy those 30 minutes to myself.

aroyce · Oct 30, 2013

thank you guys

wingding · Oct 31, 2013

We are not allowed to eat or drink at the desk - and I think it is just good manners not to do it in front of the patients. Weekends a lot of people bring & eat in the back room, bite here & there --- Again - I don't eat because I think it is bad manners. I'll drink in the back room only & then go to the break room for lunch.

OfficerRNBSN · Nov 1, 2013

If you're given a lunch break then take it. The hospital survived before you were hired. It'll survive while you're eating or sitting on the throne. If the other staff are so keen on looking like they're doing their job then let them be. I promise you won't get a bad evaluation for taking lunch. There's a good deal of employment law behind this as well.

illcleff · Nov 4, 2013

Everyone is entitled to their 30-45 minute break so make use if it. It's better if u leave the area, sit , relax, eat it even have a personal time. Our job is very stressful and I know sometimes you just can't take a break but the bottom line is whenever you can, take one.

taydian · Nov 10, 2013

You absolutely are entitled to your break! If I were expected to clock out but still work, I wouldn't clock out.

greenbeanio · Nov 10, 2013

We don't clock out for lunch - it is assumed that we will take a 30-minute unpaid lunch break and so we get paid for 8 hours of a 8 1/2 hour shift. The culture of our unit is such that people take their breaks seriously as a self-care & burnout-prevention measure. They go off the unit or to the break room, and there seems to be an unspoken understanding that you don't talk to the person on break about work stuff until they are done with their break. We have a couch in the break room and people often take a nap or lie down with their eyes covered for a few minutes. Others go for a walk. If I have the time, I try to get out into the tiny "healing garden" and sit near a tree while I'm eating.

But more often, I tend to eat while charting or come back early so that I can finish up the shift on time, and my coworkers are always encouraging me to take my full break instead of doing this.

We are also entitled to 2 (or is it one?) 15-minute paid breaks during the shift but nobody seems to take that unless they really need to. If they do take their 15-minute break, it is assumed they need it and nobody gives them a hard time.