Why do I work from 7-7:30 (12.5 hours) but only get paid for 12? This happens EVERY shift, not just once in a while. They say it's our responsibility to take a lunch but it's almost never possible. Some shifts I don't even get to pee and do my charting standing up during a spare minute between tasks. If we have 2 RNs for 14 patients on a busy med-surg floor with frequent admits and discharges, when IS there time for a break?!
And how is it ok that you're required to show up for a 5 hour morning class and then come to work for another 13 hours that night? And repeat it the following day as well?
Is this the norm for the industry or do I just have a crappy job?
In my opinion, you are projecting. I never mentioned anything about bleeding through - I know that no one can fully predict when Hemorrhage Hour will be upon them. And has crap-all to do with my coworker, who admitted she had been drinking plenty of water but kept putting off bathroom breaks because so n so needed zofran, so n so was coming back from surgery, and t'other wanted to ambulate.
There isn't more to it. We're friends on the outside, and she full well admits she struggles with the chaotic pace of our floor and with understanding that not everything can be done in the 12 hours we're given to change lives. Given her tendency to leave 1-2 hrs after because of her charting, and her verbal expression, it *is* time management.
That, and this ridiculous belief that nurses are superhero martyrs who never get tired, have functions of elimination, and eat once a day.
What I said holds valid. I never mentioned that you said anything about bleeding, but used that as a further example that these are embarrassing situations that people go through and compassion is needed. I can't tell you the amount of patients I've talked to or witnessed who have peed themselves and are quite distressed about it. The reason why is another issue. I've had a lot of experience in this area and am reminding you to show compassionate for those situations, because that toddler comment is just plain demeaning and insulting.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
What I said holds valid. I never mentioned that you said anything about bleeding, but used that as a further example that these are embarrassing situations that people go through and compassion is needed. I can't tell you the amount of patients I've talked to or witnessed who have peed themselves and are quite distressed about it. The reason why is another issue. I've had a lot of experience in this area and am reminding you to show compassionate for those situations, because that toddler comment is just plain demeaning and insulting.
One thing that becomes very obvious when reading posts on AN is that all nurses are not capable of compassion and some aren't even nice people.
*snort* toomuchbaloney, your name holds true, that's for sure!
Again, patients in hospitals are under much different circumstances than the nurse I worked with. She wet herself because she refused to understand that her needs mattered - she seemed to think she wasn't allowed a bathroom break because someone needed something. News flash - someone always needs something.
I stand by my statement - you are projecting. And getting your period is way different than refusing to use the bathroom despite having one available.
This coming from a person who has at time been incontinent of both bowel and bladder due to medical conditions.
*snort* toomuchbaloney, your name holds true, that's for sure!
Again, patients in hospitals are under much different circumstances than the nurse I worked with. She wet herself because she refused to understand that her needs mattered - she seemed to think she wasn't allowed a bathroom break because someone needed something. News flash - someone always needs something.
I stand by my statement - you are projecting. And getting your period is way different than refusing to use the bathroom despite having one available.
This coming from a person who has at time been incontinent of both bowel and bladder due to medical conditions.
You continue to ignore my point that your toddler comment was highly insulting. Your use of caps that she was grown only makes it worse. People are still human beings in need of compassion even when they are not patients. No matter what the reason for incontinence is, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.
Had I not had compassion for my coworker, I certainly would not have covered her patients and demanded she take a 10 minute break to regroup. I would've told her tough luck and gone on my way. But that doesn't fit your internal narrative, so whatever.
That being said, being facetious doesn't help me take you seriously.
Had I not had compassion for my coworker, I certainly would not have covered her patients and demanded she take a 10 minute break to regroup. I would've told her tough luck and gone on my way. But that doesn't fit your internal narrative, so whatever.
That being said, being facetious doesn't help me take you seriously.
I'm done with your discussion.
I'm not talking about what you said to her, I'm talking about what you specifically said here.
Point is, a toddler that is potty trained will wet their pants because they were too afraid to ask to go to the bathroom. That is what her coworker did. It is excusable for a toddler to behave that way, but not okay for a fully capable adult to wet herself at work because she was "too busy".
Disappointing that asking for compassion for someone in an uncomfortable situation is 'dramatics'. You never really know the full story of what someone else is going through.
Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.
I recall the 1st day I floated to a new unit in a facility where I'd been working a few months in another unit prior.
We weren't busy. All tasks had been completed. One charge nurse told me I needed to inform the other nurses prior to going to the bathroom. I accepted that.
Then another nurse, who was orienting me, told me "we don't take lunches or breaks here." I was shocked, as all tasks had been completed and all the nurses were standing around gabbing in the nurses station. I didn't take breaks while orienting with her, but as soon as orientation was complete, I took my allotted breaks.
That being said, I often have missed my breaks recently. It's my choice bad management does not coerce me
I'd like to know if nurses who work in California in acute care work for institutions that follow ratios "at all times"? Do you have a nurse charge or lunch relief who you give your patients so you can go on break and truly be relieved? Where I work we do, rarely do we not and that is only when the staffers have tried all the tricks in their bag to get the extra help.
We stagger our lunch breaks and the charge holds our phones so YES I do get an uninterrupted 30 minute lunch break. I also stop 10-15 mins after I complete 9am meds to eat breakfast but I hold my own phone. We rarely go over ratio 4/1 unless there are sick calls and no one will come in so we may be 5/1 with the expectation that one of more patient will be discharged during the shift bring ratio back to normal.
My former employer took away the only other nurse in the building on my shift. This of course meant that I could not leave the floor and would not get lunch. I promptly called my state board of labor thinking it was illegal to not be able to take lunch. The board of labor clarified for me that in professions like nursing, it was acceptable/legal that we did not receive a lunch (whole other thread, I think) but that if we weren't paid while working through lunch, that was illegal. So basically, I wasn't going to get a lunch but I would be paid for it. As an added bonus, I had to fill out a missed punch form every shift stating why I did not get a lunch even though EVERYONE knew I didn't and exactly why (Lunch: NA-only licensed staff in building). Our time clocks had a missed lunch option, btw!
I left that job ASAP but not before I ended up in the ER for a flare up of a chronic condition that was exacerbated by lack of proper nutrition/proper time to eat.
BTW, even if you get a full 30 minute lunch, if you have to eat it at the desk because you can't leave the floor for whatever reason, that does not count as a full, uninterrupted lunch and employers must pay you.
My question is are they aware and simply don't care? Or are they disconnected from what really goes on in the unit and really believe it's our fault for not getting a lunch?
They know what is happening and they also know that nurses are working for them FOR FREE because they don't know or won't fight for their basic rights as employees/humans. You know how much money you are saving your employer buy working through your lunch FOR FREE? Do you really think they want to "fix" that situation?
guest64485
722 Posts
What I said holds valid. I never mentioned that you said anything about bleeding, but used that as a further example that these are embarrassing situations that people go through and compassion is needed. I can't tell you the amount of patients I've talked to or witnessed who have peed themselves and are quite distressed about it. The reason why is another issue. I've had a lot of experience in this area and am reminding you to show compassionate for those situations, because that toddler comment is just plain demeaning and insulting.