Who's #1 your patient or you?

Nurses General Nursing

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Who's #1, Your patients or you?

No matter how busy it is I always take my breaks. Some nurses miss lunch, skip breaks. I would like to here from nurses their opinions on this topic.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Me... I am first. With my family, my friends and my pts. If mamas good then everyone gets what they need. I don't mean this in a selfish..me me me way. Just in the "I don't have any need to be a martyr" kind of way. Life is a marathon not a sprint. I gotta pace myself, you know?

Yes Ma'am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in NICU.
NICUs do seem to enjoy a much lower turnover rate than most other specialties (but it depends a lot on the particular unit - some just do not know how to treat people) but, in my experience, adult ICUs are different. The burnout rate tends to be much higher and staffing is like a revolving door.

Big people - YUCK!

I was going to just say NICUs, but I thought that adult ICUs still had lower turnover rates than the floors. Learn something new everyday!

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Specializes in NICU.
IHowever, given the field AND the specialty in which I chose to work, a break is not always guaranteed.

Just like the previous day.....we had 8 c/s on the day shift, along with approx 12 deliveries on the day shift. Some days are more hellish than others.

I can totally see your point. In L&D, when things are going crazy with your patients, I can imagine not wanting to go for a break. I was interested in that field when I was in nursing school, but it just seemed too stressful to me. I would never want to leave a laboring mom's side, just in case, you know? I hope that you get some nice, slow days mixed in with the hellish ones! :)

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Agree that self-nurturing, including breaks, is important. On busy hectic days at the very least I take a break to eat. In all my years of nursing I've never skipped a meal. Sometimes I choose to make it short, or eat on the run, but always eat and go to the bathroom.

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only when you give 110% to yourself can yiu give 100% to you pt. i come first, not just at work but also in personal relationships

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I work nights and we don't get a 30 minute break. I work straight through from the time I get there until the time I leave.

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I work nights and we don't get a 30 minute break. I work straight through from the time I get there until the time I leave.

You don't GET one or you don't TAKE one? I think the labor board would like to hear about the 1st scenario.

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Don't GET one. All other shifts are to come in 15 mins early and leave 15 mins after their shift so they will get their 30 min break for meals and 30 mins is taken out per shift in their pay. My shift is to come in at 11 p.m. and supposed to clock out at 7 a.m. and there is no 30 mins. deducted for a mealtime. I was told this also when hired. I think we are supposed to get a 15 minute break, but that's a joke. I'm fine with the meal thing & that's why I haven't complained. I'd rather come in & leave (if my relief person is there & I'm caught up) than to worry with those extra 15 minutes before and after each shift.

You don't GET one or you don't TAKE one? I think the labor board would like to hear about the 1st scenario.
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YES YES YES

Someone else understands this!!

Excellent post Agnus

All I can say is right on!! I think there are so many times that we get into a "supernurse" mode, and don't take the time to physically stop. I too work with nurses who consistently run, and state they just don't have time, but if you keep an eye on them, they sure have a lot of time to sit at the nurses station with their buddies and gossip about the next shift....hmmmmm....so maybe they still get there break, just like to be the poor little martyrs.

I personally after being a registered nurse for 8 years make sure that my patients are very well taken care, and so am I. I organize my time and priorities and take a lunch and a 15 minute break to regroup, and clear my head to ensure that I am functioning for several reasons

1. patient safety/care

2. my license depends on it

3. I physically need it

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

For the poster that says that she doesn't get lunch...if you are there for over 4 hours, labor law states that you get 30 minutes of unpaid break. For each 4 hours you get a 15 minute paid break. You need to address this little issue.

There have been a handful of times that I haven't been able to get out to eat or break, but on our unit we are all very good about making sure we get out. Our charge nurse doesn't have an assignment, so if you have a really bad kid, she can come and relieve you. I will also leave the area, even for 15 mintues just to be away. I take my book and go read and decompress for a bit. You have to take care of yourself to be able to function right! One thing that we have been able to change is that we are allowed to bring something to drink to the bedside as long as it has a lid on it. That helps alot!

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For the poster that says that she doesn't get lunch...if you are there for over 4 hours, labor law states that you get 30 minutes of unpaid break. For each 4 hours you get a 15 minute paid break. You need to address this little issue.

I was the poster & always thought that was the case. I did ask some of the people I work with after I first started there. They seemed to think that there's some loophole in that law, otherwise the hospital wouldn't be able to get by with it. I haven't ever brought it up to my NM because it hasn't really bothered me since I can eat (if hungry) while charting or something and I didn't want to come in complaining since it's been that way forever & no one else complained. There are times I'd love to leave the floor to get away for a minute. But, for the most part, I'd rather get all my work done on time and hopefully leave on time...depending on the person showing up in time to relieve me.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

There aren't any loopholes that I know of. My DH is a manager and so I have been well versed in rights and wrongs LOL. Years ago, our day shift would come in 15 minutes early so that they could have a 45 minutes lunch....well, someone complained and labor relations put an end to that. If we work 4.5 hours IE 3p-730p we are automatically deducted .5 hours because of the labor law stating that anything over 4 hours you are to have .5 hours of unpaid break. So, even if we are working 4 hours we take a break or sign out no lunch/break.

It sounds a bit fishy to me what they are telling you. They are getting a nice solid 8 hours out of you and expecting you to just work straight thru. Just because they have been doing it forever, doesn't make it right.

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