Survey - allnurses.com : Do you report overtime for missed breaks or late charting?

NurseRachet · Oct 9, 2002

At our hospital, nurses that do not get a meal, clock out "no-meal" and get paid for it. They are entitled to 30 minutes, and if they did not get any breaks, (entitled to 2 15-minute breaks in 8 or 10 or 12 hour shifts), they can take that with their lunch break for a 45 minute lunch (if time allows, otherwise, they get 30-minutes).

Our hospital put out a memorandum stating, "When staff are on their lunch break, they are not to be bothered or asked to return to their station unless it is an emergency". We love it!

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2002

I hung the wrong IV fluid about an hour before my shift was over. It was noticed during report, of course. I had to stay over 30 minutes to write myself up and heck yeah that went on my time card as DT!

abrenrn · Oct 10, 2002

It's nice to see so many nurses who do take their lunches and breaks and insist on overtime when they don't.

I have lost a lot of money on unpaid missed lunches, unpaid overtime in the course of my career. It was the usual, "it's your fault if you don't get it done on time." Working in Florida where nurses are hourly, if we did not clock out on time, we were counseled (I just love that term). So, everyone would be sure to get to the clock at the right time - or one of us would punch us all out, while we stayed to finish our charting, report, etc.

Fortunately, many hospitals are beginning to realize that this is breaking the law. One insisted you clock out when you leave and always put in for missed lunch. While this was in part due to concern for nurses, I think it was a smart legal team that insisted on it.

Now that I know these things, I expect to be compensated. Nor will I work somewhere that does not agree with that. Could be why I am not working right now.

kaycee · Oct 10, 2002

We don't get the 2 15min breaks you all keep talking about. We try to take small ones if we get a chance but that's rare. If I don't get my lunch I fill out a paper and get paid for it.

tattooednursie, LVN · Oct 11, 2002

Alot of times I just dont take breaks, but if I miss my lunch I put it down on my time card, or if I come early to finish the previous nights charting.

whipping girl in 07, RN · Oct 14, 2002

I have found that by working 12 hour shifts, I can usually manage to squeeze in my lunch break. At night we eat at the desk and most of the time I just eat or surf the net while eating. It's the rare night where I don't have some downtime to eat, and I think the nights where I have lots of downtime make up for it, so I don't charge them for a missed lunch break.

But I clock in and start working when I get there, and I don't clock out until I'm done. Sometimes I clock in early if things are a little crazy and the outgoing shift needs some help to get done so they can start report. I clock out 15 minutes late nearly every day, for varying reasons. It really burns me up when I'm ready to leave, already given report, and no one will count the narcs with me so I can go. I clock out late at least once a week because no one wants to count. And it seems like I count at least every other shift I work. And some people never count at all! Ugh!

amylynn · Oct 14, 2002

We also clock in and out at my hospital and they deduct 30 min automatically for a lunch. But there is also a code for "no lunch" and let me tell you, I use it freqently.

patsue53 · Oct 17, 2002

I always try to remember to punch out "no lunch" when I don't get 30 minutes for lunch, but it's so automatic to just swipe my badge and leave that sometimes I forget. I seldom get 15 minute coffee breaks and they're just a wash. We only get paid overtime if we work more than 40 hours/week so staying over doesn't result in OT pay unless you're a 1.0. I'm a .8 so a few minutes over gets paid...but not overtime. I do think there should be some compensation for missed coffee breaks...it IS a state law if not a federal one.

auntchilli · Oct 17, 2002

The facility I work for automatically deducts your lunch break--we are told no OT--as we have the option of having our break---of course if we fail to complete our 10 hours work in the 8 we are paid for we are suppose to leave it for the next shift --thus instead of 10 hours work we get 12--the administrator literally stands behind us at the end of noc shift and the end of day shift to encourage us to leave--many things are not done and it makes us all feel that we are unable to do a job completely--increasing staffing would help but this won't happen---we barely carry a 3.2 ratio--what is the answer??????

patadney · Oct 17, 2002

We clock in and out,so of course I am paid-however,I only work 3 days a week,so it may not be overtime,but it is paid time. I don't report missed breaks,try to get them,but don't worrry about it. Of course,smokers don't miss breaks! I do put down for no lunch-usually eat sometime,but do not count it as a break if I am eating while answering phones,charting with the left hand while eatiing,etc. I need 30 min off since I am not paid for my lunch break.This has to be reported separately,but they don't hassle us about that.

outbackannie · Oct 17, 2002

Sometimes reporting to the next shift runs into overtime especially if a staff member is late or slow getting it together - we give a verbal report. You bet I clock out after we're done. I also put in for missed lunches. They can holler about overtime all they want, but it's up to admin to do something about it.

NurseDianne, ADN · Oct 17, 2002

I work at night, so we really don't take a so-called lunch break. When I worked days they told us we were to take them anyway. They doc us 30 mins regardless.

I don't feel bad about staying on the clock to chart late. It makes up for the 30 mins they take away.