Scheduling lunch breaks in the ED

Specialties Emergency

Published

I would be interested in hearing how other ED's schedule lunch breaks and manage patient coverage during those times. I realize "breaks" are far and few in the ED, but would like to know how other departments plan for them.

Thanks in Advance!

LUNCHBREAK?????:chuckle

I work in a 24 bed ER, 7p-7a, most nights we go down to 3 nurse's and 1 tech at 3am. Not only do we rarely get a break, we were informed last year that we cannot clock out "no meal" unless authorized and signed out by the charge nurse. We'll, that doesn't sound to bad, right. WRONG, how many people at the end of an exhausting 12 hour shift are going to remember to find the time and attendance book, write "NO LUNCH" and chase down the charge to sign? :uhoh3:

Most night I don't remember to pee!!!! Then there are those nights when we might be "slow", and even if I could get a 30min. lunch and 2-15 min breaks, I feel guilty going out of the ER to eat. :crying2:

I love the people who, even if all He** is breaking loose in the ER, will pop up and say, "I'm hungry I'm going to eat", even though they have only been there 3 hours and then their gone for an hour. And it's always the same people! Maybe these folks have figured out the system, but my works ethics make it hard for me to leave my fellow coworkers drowning, I know how it feels and I don't like it, so I refuse to do this to others.

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I worked in ED 8 years and I think that my lunch was schedualled one bite at a time. Isn't it the ways, it slows down and you say the words " I going for a bite" when the doors crash open with someone dragging a smurf into you ED. Or you have someone bring you something and take the first bite when an aide tells you he cant wake up the patient you thought you were about to discharge! I think better staffing would help, but hey, is that likely to happen? Good luck with that!

I would be interested in hearing how other ED's schedule lunch breaks and manage patient coverage during those times. I realize "breaks" are far and few in the ED, but would like to know how other departments plan for them.

Thanks in Advance!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Just eat on the run

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They are not called tech here but they work with a nurse, run EKG, sterile dressing, draw blood, do urinary catheterization, chest compressions as well as taking care of bedpans. No medications. The nurse is in charge.

Would that be a tech in the states or nurses assistant or what?

That is what our techs do, but man I wish we had 6 techs. I work in a level II trauma center 36 bed ER and we are lucky if we have one tech per shift. We do it all. Day shift gets more than us 3rd shifters do. It is always funny to see a day shift nurse work a night and it never fails before the end of the night they say "Don't we have a tech to put that foley in" Techs, what are they....lol

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Specializes in ER.
That is what our techs do, but man I wish we had 6 techs. I work in a level II trauma center 36 bed ER and we are lucky if we have one tech per shift. We do it all. Day shift gets more that us 3rd shifters do. It is always funny to see a day shift nurse work a night and it never feels before the end of the night they say "Don't we have a tech to put that foley in" Techs, what are they....lol
We have more techs, but normally one nurse care for 5-9 patients. I just could not manage that without help. (22 bed ER Level I). What is your pt:nurse ratio?
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We have more techs, but normally one nurse care for 5-9 patients. I just could not manage that without help. (22 bed ER Level I). What is your pt:nurse ratio?

Our nurse-pt. ratio depends on which area we are in. We have fast track, critical care and intermediate. Fast track is 4pts per nurse, Critical Care is normally 3-5 pt's per nurse and Intermediate can be anywhere from 5-7 pts per nurse

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing Advanced Practice.
I would be interested in hearing how other ED's schedule lunch breaks and manage patient coverage during those times. I realize "breaks" are far and few in the ED, but would like to know how other departments plan for them.

Thanks in Advance!

I am the charge nurse on the night shift in an ED. We try to all at least get down to the cafeteria and grab something. Some nights get a full 30 minutes, most not. I rarely go down until rest of my staff has had the chance to do so.

Funny thing. Our day shift has a shift slot from 10am to 2pm so they can always get a lunch. A nurse actually comes and works that 4 hour slot so the day shifters can always eat.

Funnier, nobody comes in from 12mn to 2 am for us at night so we can eat.

Andrew

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I am the charge nurse on the night shift in an ED. We try to all at least get down to the cafeteria and grab something. Some nights get a full 30 minutes, most not. I rarely go down until rest of my staff has had the chance to do so.

Funny thing. Our day shift has a shift slot from 10am to 2pm so they can always get a lunch. A nurse actually comes and works that 4 hour slot so the day shifters can always eat.

Funnier, nobody comes in from 12mn to 2 am for us at night so we can eat.

Andrew

When I "retire" I am coming to your hospital for that cushy little baby shift!!!!!

I try to get all the nurses to lunch...most days I can...

I am almost the last to go...I feel like I am in charge and one of my responsibilities is to get everyone to break...can't make myself go FIRST!!!

Oh...and to the poster who left the ER because when they were covering someone for lunch they had "8 patients"...gimme a break my friend...and nice try...

:rolleyes:

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Specializes in emergency nursing-ENPC, CATN, CEN.

When I trained as charge- my clinical director that was on days said-"make sure your nurses get to eat and you go last". When I went to 3-11 and mentored for several days prior to taking over as the relief charge nurse, Sally, the 3-11 charge nurse said " I go to lunch first 'cause if I don't get to eat, I get grumpy and then you all pay....". For years when I worked 3-11, I never got to run down to the cafeteria first...:chuckle

Anne

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ED and Breaks, tough words in the same sentence. Scheduling - not a part of the ED language. I have just returned to a regular ED job after a few years of traveling. My experience is a system where you have a 'buddy' assigned is best. You and your buddy schedule breaks with each other based on census and acuity in your zone (your buddy should have an assignment physically close to yours). I try not to leave urgent undone tasks for my buddy. Charge and Triage are usually buddies. When my buddy is at lunch I do my best to follow through on whatever happens with all of our patients, if I need help I try to get it. If its falling apart or somebody goes downhill and I feel patients are at risk I let Charge know and I call my buddy back from lunch. Sometimes, a stable patient has to wait for something because we are people and we do need an occasional break.

The ED is far from a scheduled world, but its the only way for me!

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing Advanced Practice.

I do not need a scheduled break. I have repeatedly gone a 12 hour shift with none, not even toilet break. But the common 8+:1 and sometimes 12:1 ratio got old and I felt the level of care by MD's and nursing was not (and still is not) safe.

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Specializes in ER.

Lunch break? What is that????

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