Sitters, give 'em a break!

Myxel67 · Jul 30, 2007

sounds like faulty math to me. say the sitter starts work at 7p.

he/she isn't going to start with a break. so q2h would be at 9, 11, 1,3, 5. our sitters usually relieve each other at 7, so no break then either. so it's 50 minutes. our practice has always been 30 minute meal break, and a 15 minute break every 4 hours (per dol). a person who works 8 hrs is usually due 2 15-min breaks in addition to the meal break, so it seems reasonable that one who works 12 hrs should have 3 15-min breaks. i know i've never gotten any of my 15-minutes breaks since i've been in nursing--and maybe only half of my meal breaks. but that's my problem. i don't begrudge anyone taking the breaks to which they are entitled. but i'd better not catch anyone sleeping when they're supposed to be there for pt safety.

GeminiTwinRN, BSN · Jul 30, 2007

I see your point, however, I guess I wasn't counting the 30 minute lunch break as part of the OP request. As in, I thought the OP was requesting 10" breaks q 2 in addition to their 30 minute lunch and other mandated breaks. I stand corrected! (never did say I was good at math, LOL!)

It's usually our techs who get pulled to sit. So they automatically work 12 hour shifts. If we were to give them a 30 minute lunch, plus 5 10" breaks, that still adds up to 80 mins of breaks.

It's tough. I never cared for sitting except while I was in school and had the odd patient who actually didn't need me constantly so I could study. I know the techs who get pulled absolutely hate sitting for the most part. There are a couple of older techs who offer to do it, they're just plain worn out from teching it all the time and the hope of having some downtime is appealing to them. But if we pull techs to sit, they are expected to do VS, I/O's, personal care, linens, etc. They don't just sit there, that's for sure.

Hoozdo, ADN · Jul 31, 2007

What about nurses, give 'em a break? Nobody ever comes up to me to relieve me for a break or lunch. If I have a sitter, I expect them to be able to tell me when they need a break. :uhoh3:

If you are a sitter, let the RN know you need a break. I am far too busy with my patients to consider your break time needs. Speak up and take a break........simple as that.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2007

Guess I'm missing the point of the Pity Party for sitters....? Their job is to sit with the patient and occupy them so that they don't pull off dressings or pull out tubes, caths.

It's hard for them to stay awake? Seriously? I'm going to be very concerned about giving them a ten minute break every two hours because they might be tired of...SITTING? I guess I'm thinking that we all have a job to do, and if theirs is relatively sedentary, then they need to bring along a book, some knitting, a laptop and not complain to the nurse who is running around taking care of 10 patients! Get enough sleep before your shift so you're not ready to pass out while you're on the JOB (I know I have to do this, why not you?).

Mostly, our techs are doing the sitting anyway. It's a rare day when a group home or agency provides a sitter to just sit with the patient. And then, they DO usually fall asleep, requiring us to go in and wake them up so that their charge isn't going to get hurt. We have to keep waking them to do their job, amazingly. So most of the time, it's OUR techs who are on the job.

When that happens, the tech is responsible for ALL patient care during that shift: vitals, bed changes, baths, bedpans, whatever. The patient is fussing with her O2 canula, and you want me to medicate her so she doesn't? Get real: the reason you are sitting with her is so she has someone to occupy herself with, someone who says "Betty, leave that alone, you need that to breathe". And fixes the NC. I'm not going to medicate her into a stupor for your convenience, so that the one thing you DO have to do is no longer required!

If a sitter from a home needs a break, we are more than willing to do so (tech or nurse, whoever is available). We'll go in so sitter can get a break for bathroom, cigarette outside, or just stretch the legs. It's not going to be ten minutes every two hours, we don't typically have that much free time to offer.

If it's one of our techs doing the sitting, then that tech is relieved for scheduled breaks just like every other tech on the floor: another tech will take her place for a meal break or 15-minute "other" break. Our techs are not expected to disappear for ten minutes every two hours, but they are entited to their regular breaks. And everyone gets them, so no complaints! Also, we try to rotate the techs so that if we have three techs on the floor, they divide up the night and each take a few hours with the patient.

My job requires me to go without breaks for several hours at a stretch. I deal with it. The option is to quit. Sitters have the same option, but I'm not about to feel that it was MY fault that they quit!

buildingmyfaith57 · Jul 31, 2007

getting a break by sitting one on one doesn't always happen. it depends on where you work. you think the sitter wants to fall asleep. i understand the people who are on the floor are busy, i also understand the safety of the person you're sitting with.

but we all need a break.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2007

getting a break by sitting one on one doesn't always happen. it depends on where you work. you think the sitter wants to fall asleep. i understand the people who are on the floor are busy, i also understand the safety of the person you're sitting with.
but we all need a break.

Of course we all need a break. But the original complaint that launched this thread was that sitters should be given ten minutes off every two hours, anything less constituted abuse of the sitter. And THAT is what I am reacting to: the very idea that if a sitter falls asleep, it's my responsiblity to have prevented that by failing to keep them awake with frequent breaks!

The job is what it is. If someone doesn't like it, they quit. And someone else (potentially one who knows they shouldn't sleep on the job) fills their spot. Sitting with a patient is hardly the most demanding job in the hospital, and there are always people willing to do it. Most of the time, techs FIGHT about who gets to do the one-on-one, it's so easy compared to their usual tasks!

RNfaster · Jul 31, 2007

I think the bottom line is that all healthcare professionals should receive breaks. From what I have seen, the lowest ranks of healthcare workers, e.g., sitters, CNAs, etc., are not paid enough. They could work at some fast food joints around here and make more. They could also work part-time at a bank and make more plus receive benefits, e.g., healthcare. So, yes, give those folks regular breaks, and consider paying them more to keep them (and offer training to help them to advance into other healthcare positions).

Pay RNs more and give them breaks, too. I was surprised when I learned how little entry-level RNs make for the critical work they do. One could work as an administrative assistant for equal wages. (I think RNs do markedly better as they gain significant seniority and advanced degrees.)

I think folks shouldn't say they didn't receive a break so no one else should, rather they should work to improve things for the entire industry.

One other thing... The state of Arizona does not require ANY breaks for adult employees --they do require some breaks for youth workers. I think that California mandates one 15 minute break every four hours plus a lunch of some sort. It differs per state, and of course, per employer. The employers can always give more than the state mandates. A break every two hours seems like a crazy amount (but if floor folks are getting breaks and the sitter isn't because they are considered on a perpetual break --well, that isn't cool...). The only time that I have really felt stir-crazy when sitting for someone was when I was suited up in a gown and a respirator and the patient was physically threatening (eventually had to put leathers on him) and verbally abusive. I bit the bullet and stuck with it until it was done. It certainly wasn't pleasant.

Some employers give their employees free meals, espresso machines, sodas, massages, off-site events, and profit-sharing bonuses. I think that breaks are a minimum requirement to employee retention. If all folks on the healthcare team got their breaks, there would surely be lower stress levels and more cooperation, no? (If you're too busy to get your own work done, you're not as likely to be able to lend a hand to another coworker...)

I think we should look at the issue from a greater distance and consider what it means to healthcare workers and healthcare overall.

buildingmyfaith57 · Aug 1, 2007

what if that sitter was a diabetic? im sure there are alot of health care places that do have co-workers that are diabetics right? not that everyone going to give their personal health business. sleeping on the watch is a no no. there is something to think about right?

Ms Kylee · Aug 1, 2007

I sat yesterday.... regular 8 hour shift... Patient was sleeping when I came in. Aide knocked on the door about 20 minutes later and told me to do the patient's vitals when they woke up. HUH? I'm the sitter, not the aide... If I was an aide, I'd be working on my own unit. Hour later, she came back all pissy cause I didn't take and chart the vitals. Patient was still asleep. Night sitter told me the patient had a rough night due to pain, and didn't sleep much. Took the vitals when the patient woke up. The nurse came in and gave meds, talked to me for a few, and then asked if I'd get the patient bathed in a hurry because the patient was scheduled for a test. Again, I'm the sitter, not the aide. Patient goes for the test, I'm thinking I'll get a bathroom break (this is hour #4), and I can change the linens before it's demanded of me. Nope. Sitter has to go to testing with the patient. Surprise, surprise... at 12:30, snotty aide comes in and said she'd take over so I could go to lunch. Got back after my half hour, and was not even checked on again till the next sitter arrived at the end of shift. God help me that I never sit again.

jgoalie29 · Dec 15, 2010

Ive been a sitter for two years now. I work evening/night 16 hours shifts and love it. As a student I get a ton of homework done while the patient is sleeping, and for the most part the staff really treats me well because unlike most sitters here...I actually help the patient rather than just letting them **** themselves while I wonder what movies AMC will be playing tonight. However, I've had my fair share of ***hole nurses and techs. My favorite experience was when I had a large fall precaution male, and he said he really had to go to the bathroom (mind you he had successfully used the toilet all day, no urinal or catheter necessary). I got him out of bed and started walking him to the toilet, and he decided to unleash a waterfall of feces down my leg. I suppressed my urge to scream "WHAT THE F*** MAN!?" and continued to walk him to the toilet so he could (yes there was more) finish. I cleaned him, changed his bed, disinfected the floor, and got him back in bed. I rang the call light, and when the nurse came I calmly pointed at my s*** pants and asked if I could borrow some scrubs to finish my shift (I had been working for 13 hours with 3 to go and he knew it). He looked at me and shrugged and brought me back a single dry rag... blabbering about how it was against policy to distribute scrub pants. I had to go into the patients shower and scrub the crap out of my pants and lather my leg in purell. When my shift ended the charge nurse had the balls to say, "so last night was rough huh?". I then bent over and took a crap on his lap and gave him a tissue.

Nursebarebari · Dec 15, 2010

Haldol, restraints and 1:1 sitter means the sitter wants to sleep and snore. If you want a break to stretch, you can do that right in the patient room, I can relieve you for bathroom break every 4 for hrs as needed, smoke all you want before coming to work because I may be too busy to relieve you for that, Don't come to work if you are having a diarrhea and have to go every 2hrs. It is hard to relieve you for a break every 2 hrs when I dont get one myself for 12.5 hrs. some of you sit for 12 hrs reading and writting your school essays, or watching tv. some even sleep 6 out the 12hrs on a night shift and still fuss about not being relieve for break. I don't remember the last time I took a break myself. I take food to work to eat on my break and end up giving it away in the morning or bringing it back home. We use to take a good 90 minutes break but that is no more with working short every night. We were told to be happy that we have a job when we voice out. So please forget that idea of being relieved every 2 hrs for break.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2010

I've done quite a few special (or sitting jobs as you call them). Here is how I handle these situations:

NUMBER ONE:

YOU are responsible for calling YOUR OWN BREAKS. U only need to say 'what time am I taking my break at?' set a time and say 5 minutes b4 ur ready 2 go, say in a loud voice - or walk over to the nurses' station - 'I'm going on my half hour break soon/now'. We as RNs can get so busy (especially in EDs/ERs where it gets crazy) that we 4get re the sitter in the other room. U have to remind us.

SECONDLY:

As a special and a RN I am also entitled to time to do my charting on the patient. I don't have to do this in the patient's room if I don't want to.

THIRDLY:

When I need to pee or get a cup of tea or whatever, believe me, I grab the nearest nurse & say quite distinctly: 'I need u here because I have to go to the ladies' & b4 they can say no, I walk off. I don't wait to pee for anyone now, my kidneys get too sore & I should NOT have to wait till I'm bursting just to satisfy a natural human body function.

It's good you are thinking of other people. But if u don't like sitting jobs, why do you do them? Can u get another job where u get breaks maybe?