do you skip your lunch break routinely?

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Do you routinely skip your lunch breaks/other break times while at work?

If so, do you think this is a good practice?? why or why not?

Also, do you stay after your shift to finish up work routinely? how long? (minutes or hours)

What type of work setting are you currently working in?

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Specializes in LTC.

I work in LTC.

When I first started out on my own .. I didn't have time to take a dinner break.

Now I usually do. We get a half hour. I sometimes just take 15 minutes to eat quick and go back if I have alot left to do.

One supervisor makes me take a break... she says to me "You are going to eat tonight right???" lol.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

I'm eating at my desk as I write this. That probably answers your question.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I work in a small hospital.I get 45 minutes for lunch and two 30 minute coffee breaks.Half of us go first break/lunch and the other half covers and then we switch. Our charge is very firm about everyone taking a break off the floor.

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Specializes in med/surg, tele, OB.

I work in OB. I try very hard to always take a meal break. 12 hours is to long to go without food and a bathroom break. There are times where lunch is at 3pm and I only take 15 minutes... We are a small unit and if somethings going on we all try to help out. But a break is important. On the other hand when we are very slow, we all get lunch and then some. I feel like on my unit it all evens out! If I am not eating, nobody is eating- we are a team.

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All of the time. There are days that I don't eat until 3 or 4pm, and even then it's just a snack.

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

Do not give away your PROFESSIONAL time. Yes there may be occassional completely crazy days when you realize it's way past time, but those should be few and far between.

Your plumber takes breaks, so does your lawyer. You are entitled by law to have breaks and lunch - this is to protect YOU. You need to replenish yourself, relieve yourself, take some long, slow breaths.

If you are regularly not getting breaks, then the unit is understaffed or poorly managed. DEMAND your breaks.

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Never take a lunch break. I usually take a minute to have a snack or something if I get hungry, but usually I can easily go the entire shift, 8 or 12 hours, without. Even still, I am always getting out late... seems there is always something to do. I don't mind though. I'm still new and I want to make sure I am doing things right - speed will come with time. I never took breaks at my previous non-nursing jobs either (except for one job where we were forced to take breaks, and I actually really did not enjoy that - I'd much rather just continue on working than sit in the break room with nothing to do but stare at the walls and count down the clock). I don't know, breaks don't revive me like they do other people - they just make me feel lazier and not want to go back to work, thus making the workday longer/worse. I know I am in the extreme minority here though, and would never expect other people to give up their breaks :p

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

About 5 years ago while doing staff relief,passing meds, I never got a break, hardly ever got to the bathroom, let alone eat. Since going back to homecare I always relax. I bring my computer to work. The family is great, and I just love my patient. Pay with quarterly bonuses, based on hours worked. Yes, I think this is definately better.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Rarely if ever, do we get our breaks. If we are off the floor, things pile up and then you are behind once you get back. The big people told us to put down for lost breaks and lunches, but if you do, it comes and bites you in the butt. They blame you for not managing your time correctly and it puts you into more OT, making you late home.

Many days we all work a straight 12 with no meal time and a rare bathroom break. Even then that is an half hour OT.

I hate doing it. I'm giving them over a weeks worth of time just for skipped breaks! That's not even including lunch.

Those that do take their breaks consistently, who picks up the slack for your pt's when you are off the floor? I come back behind with IV's needing to be changed, some pain meds need to be given, etc..

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No, because I just can't. I can't think or work if I'm too hungry. ANYTHING, unless a patient is coding, can wait for 30 minutes. Really. If we cover for each other, we all get at least our 30 min break. Many times we do a 15 minute a.m. and 15 in the p.m. if we're lucky.

We "sign up" for lunch times. Most of the time the charge nurse follows up to see if we've gotten a break, but not always.

What I don't like is that various charge nurses and managers can be seen going to lunch exactly when they feel like it, regardless if many of us have eaten or not. I feel they should really try to be more cognizant of the staff. But at least we do get our lunchtimes.

Lately I don't care. I just go in the back and chill if I'm feeling very stressed. I'm tired of just pushing myself to the extreme everyday.

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

11am-11pm in the ED is a busy shift. I always find time to nibble but a rarely get a full half-hour off the floor break.

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