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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Nurses eating on shift...

575 replies

PatsyAndEddy · 12/07/2013 20:44

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?

OP posts:
AlanMoore · 12/07/2013 21:52

Oh and it's actually DANGEROUS to take an admission if you are very busy, that 'trolley in A&E' can often be a much safer place for a patient to be. 4hour targets are nothing to do with safe care.

JADS · 12/07/2013 21:52

I only really deal with a children's day case ward where the kids are all nil by mouth. I would be dead annoyed if the nurses were eating crisps at the nurses station in full view of the kids although we will discretely pop in a quick choc occasionally to keep the wolf from the door. Doesn't stop the parents though.

Adults are a bit different. Your friend was probably BU, but understandable. She wouldn't have been last on the list either so she could have been waiting another couple of hours.

Not really anything to do with this, but it's ramaddam at the mo so there are people out there fasting from 5am until 10pm and they are ok. She wouldn't have starved.

Shitsinger · 12/07/2013 21:59

I doubt that anyone having a tonsillectomy that day would be on full diet - more like sips of fluid increasing to free fluids and then soft diet the next day .
The risk is post op haemorrhage .

Rulesgirl · 12/07/2013 22:01

To be fair the NHS is bloody brilliant. In Australia you have to pay for healthcare and its way expensive. Here we are fortunate to have free healthcare whenever we need it. If you think its crap you can always go private Confused

PistachioTruffle · 12/07/2013 22:05

YABU. 13 hour shifts, with a half hour break if they are lucky, which may or may not be around lunch time, and could be at 5pm when they started the shift at 7am. I'm not surprised the nurses were snacking on a few crisps, and certainly wouldn't begrudge them them.

sukysue · 12/07/2013 22:07

No they weren't being unreasonable! I have been on shifts where I haven't even gone to the toilet for 12 hour shifts. Course I didn't need to go either due to the sweating from working so hard. Think that so long as the nurses washed their hands afterwards no problemo.

Shitsinger · 12/07/2013 22:08

Have just seen that she has her surgery at 2pm - so out of theatre 3pm and in recovery and if straightforward back on the ward by 4pm and then she ate a sandwich at 5pm
Either this is bullshit or some very strange post op practice going on.
After surgery - especially throat, sips of fluid would be the most you would start on let alone sandwiches Hmm

nosila12 · 12/07/2013 22:09

yes but married in white - you can leave your clients because you can be fairly sure they won't keel over whilst you're gone. you don't have that luxury when you're a nurse.

ilovechips · 12/07/2013 22:10

Another nurse bashing thread? Well, gives teachers and social services a break this week I guess...change the record Ffs!

marriedinwhiteagain · 12/07/2013 22:12

I do go private. NHS admissions were for emergencies and I would pay enhanced premiums if there were more emergency privat care. Massive difference in the way staff behave when payment depends on a professional service imo and interestingly I have found drs in the NHS far more polite than nurses. Indeed two consultants have told me they were pleased to retire because they felt they could no longer depend on porofessional nursing standards in the NHS. I could excuse poor service if staff had looked busy but they haven't ime.

5madthings · 12/07/2013 22:13

Yabu they need to eat.

shitsinger after I and my tonsils out I was given cereal and to as tto eat, to help scrape away any gunk etc. They said it was best just to eat normally, no ice cream, or lollies etc.

VivaLeBeaver · 12/07/2013 22:14

Plus an office job in meetings isn't as physically hard work as nursing.

Ledkr · 12/07/2013 22:15

I nursed for 7 yrs and never once got a break.
I bet they love your friend Hmm

5madthings · 12/07/2013 22:15

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Tonsillitis/Pages/Treatment.aspx NHS it is important to eat solid food after tonsillectomy as it helps the throat to heal, exactly what i was told.

Tiredemma · 12/07/2013 22:19

Sick to death of nurse bashing on here.

Begrudging us a packet of bloody kettle chips.

Lucky to get a cup of cold water.

Shitsinger · 12/07/2013 22:20

Very sad to hear that married the standard of nursing my colleagues and me provide are exemplary.
I wouldn't go private if I had millions in the bank (obviously don't ) .
The private sector can provide a superficial service but in the NHS you have every speciality to an amazingly high standard on call if and when you need it.
I tend to find the old school consultants were retired because they could no longer get away with dodgy practice and bullying their staff.
My cat wouldn't go private let alone my children

marriedinwhiteagain · 12/07/2013 22:21

So it's reasonable to eat in front of people who are starving? I think that's downright disrespectful.

Shitsinger · 12/07/2013 22:22

I was talking about the immediate post op period when the patient would have been closely monitored for haemorrhage - surgery 2pm
sandwiches 5pm - no

ubik · 12/07/2013 22:22

frankly i would rather the nurses had some food to cope with tiredness, it really wouldn't bother me in thr slightest to see someone eating at their desk.

As long as they don't mess up my medical care, they can sit there with a dominos pizza for all I care.

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 12/07/2013 22:22

Why didn't you bring her some food? I always bring food to hospital patients....it's a dessert for food!

Shitsinger · 12/07/2013 22:23

I don't eat out on the ward - explained that I don't think its professional already.

marriedinwhiteagain · 12/07/2013 22:23

Animals have to go private - there is no NHS equivalent. I often think the vets would provide better care for people than the NHS

Shitsinger · 12/07/2013 22:24

Luckily mine are treated in house Wink

StillSlightlyCrumpled · 12/07/2013 22:25

My 9 year old son has a life long condition that has seen him frequently in hospital. Whilst there are many frustrating things about being a patient in the NHS, & of course there are a few rubbish, lazy ones most nurses work their asses off, & grabbing a quick bite as & when seems to be the only way to go sometimes.

The nurses you saw today could have been tired, hungry, thirsty etc or they could have been unprofessional. Who knows.

Tiredemma · 12/07/2013 22:25

'starving'??

Like as in literally dying of starvation???