Nurses eating on shift...

[PatsyAndEddy]

Just back from hospital visiting a friend who had her tonsils out today. She had to fast from 10 pm last night and didn't get taken for her op until 2pm, that's a long time without food for anyone!

She missed dinner on the ward but they got her a sandwich but she's really sore and hungry!

On the ward her bed is right next to the nurses station. She said they were sitting munching on a large bag of kettle chips in front of her between the three of them. She commented on how she thought that was a but mean, they snapped back saying 'well we have to eat' at which point my friend reminded them that's what they're breaks were for.

I don't think she's flavour of the month in the ward! She can be a bit of a grump at the best of times but starving, sore and groggy I think she reached her limit!

We're the nurses being unreasonable, eating on shift?

YABU. My dh is a doctor and regularly goes a 13/14 hours shift without the chance for a break. Even for a drink. He mostly eats his 'lunch' I made him on the way home in the car. I am thankful if he tells me he ate a few chocolates while on the ward at least. I couldnt go so long without food/a break. Better to eat in front of patients than faint on them. Better still if the NHS could guarantee the luxury of breaks.

I used to bring nibbles to the nurses station at least three times a week.

Lots of professions only allow eating on minimal breaks over significant hours and are not allowed to do it in front of public/guests/clients. Stop acting as if they are only ones.

For me it's unhygienic. Will they remember to wash hands/antibacterial if bells go off? Like to think do but bet human nature means they don't always.

Dacky duddles the only other examples I can think of is waitrressing and they certainly eat on the job. Which professions were you thinking of with 13+ hour shifts and no breaks ?

Many staff work 12 hour shifts and they often have no choice in this. It was brought in to save money. There is now no cross over of nurses at late shift (afternoon to evening) with nurses who have been on early shift (early morning to mid afternoon).
Nurses working work 12.5 hour shifts x3 per week and then 4 one week of the month.
That is 12.5 hours on your feet ,sometimes running to get everyone cared for properly. Days off are spent sleeping or doing extra shifts because no one can cover.
So you sit down to do a referral, send a sample, look at someones results and LO and behold suddenly you are lazy
I agree with everything that Special Agent has written about the misogyny nurses face . The terminology is vile and is stirred up by the DM/tabloid press.
The nurse accused of tampering was an example, she dared to be female, young and heavens above ,socialised and enjoyed her life.
People believe everything they read and Im afraid I consider small minded nurse bashers to be a pretty unintelligent lot anyway.

Some nursing jobs entail eating with the paients eg some mental health nursing or special needs. Is that unprofessional????

I worked as waitress for 11 years and often did 10 or 11 hour shifts but wasnt allowed to eat on the job, if we did we got fired :-( i often ended up leaving 30mins early as i wasn't able to take my break

We are not allowed to eat in clinical areas and I wouldn't as its unhygienic and unprofessional.
Water only from a central cooler.

It is not minimal breaks, it is no breaks. I have worked 36 hours straight before with no break and when I asked for one after transferring into hospital was denied.

I think there are very few jobs that allow only eating on breaks but don't provide any breaks not even 10 minutes to grab a coffee or shove a biscuit in your mouth or do you suggest we leave the woman about to give birth to take our break.

Sorry sagfold xpost
No that's part of the socialisation/rehabilitation of patients.

I stand corrected Kali dsis waitressed for many years (between acting jobs) she always got fed before and between service, I thought that was widespread.

As for leaving 30 minutes early to make up a lost break, not going to happen. On days with no breaks you are more likely to leave an hour late.

You are unlikely to get it back (currently the NHS owes me more than 40 hours in time not including missed breaks) and you certainly won't be paid for it.

So the unprofessionality of eating is situation specific not inherently unprofessional.

Areas with no break provision or not enough staff to enable them must have sky high sickness levels and staff turnover - false economy at its best.

Dh regularly works 12 hour shifts, 5 day weeks, in construction. He gets ten in am, 30 at lunch, ten in afternoon. But he's on sites in the middle of no where with no facilities. Often out in all weather.

It's not just nurses that have busy days and shit conditions. Dhs wages ave came down a third in the past 4 years too.

And, like I've said, they weren't exactly rushed of their feet, quiet ward and a lounge and an office at their disposal.

Dont evengho there re sick leave poilcy

Even go

Still waiting dacky. ....

Secretaries in banks (I know as I had to police that idiotic wisdom! With software to ensure fing compliance!). Receptionists. Security staff. Cleaners. Police. Fire staff. Waitresses. Chefs. Call centre workers.

Would you like me to continue or will that do for starters?

I work in a very clinical area ( don't want to out myself) .It just isn't appropriate.
Eating with patients /clients in a less clinical setting where it is expected is part of that particular job role.

I got left in labour as the midwives had ordered a Chinese and it got delivered. Dh was told to buzz if things got serious (on hands and knees pushing) so don't pretend every hcp is eating on the hop!

Why cant call centr employees eat at desk. No as if yhe public can see you

Never known a construction worker to miss a break/not eat or drink for 12 hours, might be wrong though. Does your dh's work not allow eating between breaks either then Pasty ?

Try answering a call with a mouth full!

You can't not answer a call, they just come through.

Quite hard to eat when you're grafting, knee deep in mud or harnessed up don't you think?

There's not even anywhere to wash your hands on some sites.