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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:
LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 13/07/2013 01:07

No probs.
IIRC it can also cause major problems with breathing during the operation if you do aspirate, like chocking on your vomit would. (Yes Brianthemole I think you are right there.)
Basically it causes major problems both during the operation and following it. That is why the Anaesthetists are so strict on the fasting rules.

GoshAnneGorilla · 13/07/2013 01:14

There are some miserable begrudging types on here!

It is sadly true about lack of breaks, lack of time to get to canteens, very poor staff room facilities.

Sometimes, all you can do is grab something quick - cue another nurse bashing thread about how unhealthy we all look.

I am wetting myself about married's assertion that all nurses are crap and private health care is far superior hahahahaha!

I wouldn't get my toenails cut in a private hospital, let alone have any actual surgery. Skeleton theatre staff, no free anaesthetists or surgeons around to give a hand, if the surgeon gets into difficulty. Surgeons have often been working all day in their NHS jobs, so are often tired.

Then we get into out of hours provision. One house officer - a very junior doctor covers the hospital. No anaesthetist on site, so it sucks to be you, if your epidural stops working at 3am aaand the surgeons don't have to be within 30mins of the hospital. Unlike in the NHS.

Cardibach - very interesting point about eating and the way it's discussed on here. It is seen as some dirty weakness, rather than an essential part of being alive.

MidniteScribbler · 13/07/2013 01:25

I can't ever imagine being such a miserable twat that I would complain about a hard working person grabbing a snack when they get a chance.

And Rulesgirl, you don't know what you are talking about. Australia has a public hospital system available to all.

McNewPants2013 · 13/07/2013 01:34

this thread has made me angry.

On shift wednesday, it was a nurses short day meaning that she was rota until 1:30 a patient was dying and she stay until the end and was amazing in supporting the family and friends of the person who had recently died. This was 2 hours after her shift ended.

Many hospital worker do the same.

Who the fuck are you to judge a nurse grabbing a snack

GeraldineAubergine · 13/07/2013 02:19

Sometimes I scrub for 9 hours straight, im ravenous after. Never let patients see me eat though. Most my team the same.

GeraldineAubergine · 13/07/2013 02:20

Agree with above points re private care.

Strokethefurrywall · 13/07/2013 02:42

Butterflywgs - were you in hospital having your head removed from your arse?

Here's a Biscuit for you to munch on.

McNewPants2013 · 13/07/2013 02:52

geraldine, you and your team will burn ot.

a patient who is NBM is not eating becaue they are having treatment.

you are working and you need to eat to keep up energy levels, if that means a snack at the nurses station then so be it.

50shadesofmeh · 13/07/2013 06:18

YABU I'm a nurse and I work nearly
13 hour shifts sometimes without a break and sometimes I'm the most senior nurse on so I can't physically leave ward and leave junior nurses on the ward so need to eat on the go. I try to be professional about it though.

50shadesofmeh · 13/07/2013 06:22

Also 3 meals a day are provided by the NHS and beyond that you have to bring your own food, nurses can't be off making snacks for a ward of 20 or so people every 5 minutes.

comedycentral · 13/07/2013 06:40

YABU, well your mate is.

Stupid cow should have gone private she sounds like a princess.

HTH

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 13/07/2013 06:53

Where I work we aren't allowed to eat on the ward or have a drink, not even a bottle of water. So imagine what that's like on a 12 hour shift if there's no time for a break. So yes sometimes on nights we have a cup of tea and biscuits, big deal.

sashh · 13/07/2013 06:59

It was the reading it in front of patients who can't eat and are starving part that irked my very hungry and sore friend!

She wasn't actually starving though was she? never get fed for the first few hours I'm in hospital because I'm always admitted for gastro problems.

One time I was nil by mouth for 6 days (was on a drip though) and I wasn't starving.

Why didn't you get her any food?

WouldBeHarrietVane · 13/07/2013 07:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ilovechips · 13/07/2013 07:10

I've worked in healthcare for 20+ years - from starting as a medic in the services, and finishing as a senior staff nurse. I'm currently taking a break to stay home with my baby. To be perfectly honest if I never set foot on a ward again I'm not sure I would be bothered. Which is sad, as I love being a nurse. However the current state of the NHS doesn't allow nurses to do their job properly, and then when you try your best you get attacked by people who just happen to see you grabbing a snack "stuffing your face", writing up notes "sat down reading Heat", discussing patients with colleagues "chatting at the nurses station"...

The last ward I worked on was part of a brand new PFI "super hospital". There was no staff room so nowhere to eat or drink. There was a beverage bay run by outside caterers where staff could make food/ drinks for patients post op (strictly not for staff use) but catering staff locked this at 6pm so anyone late back from theatre who missed dinner couldn't get food, cue "nurses left me to starve". You really cannot win. It's become a thankless job and I'm happy to not be doing it right now. Comments from people like Married and Butterfly confirm to me what lots of ignorant people think about nursing staff.

lastnightiwenttomanderleyagain · 13/07/2013 07:28

Thinking about this and I'm not a nurse or in hospital (and admittedly haven't read all replies, only first and last page so apologies if said/explained before) BUT...

I normally eat dinner about 8-9ish. Occasionally I miss breakfast due to need to catch early trains to work. I then might not have lunch til 2-4ish. This is not dissimilar to your friend. If they got her something when she came out (soft, presumably!) then that's only really one, maybe two meals missed. I wouldn't begrudge anyone else eating around me in my situation, and certainly not if they were looking after me. Frankly, I'd want to know they had eaten!

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 13/07/2013 07:34

It's an infection control thing. Maybe they think we won't wash our hands? We do. Anyway, I'd never sit and eat during the day. Nights are a bit different, it's nice if there's time to sit and have a cuppa. Or grab crisps if busy.

RunnerHasbeen · 13/07/2013 07:36

What a charmed life your friend must have lived to think that having a minor operation and not eating for a small amount of time (while lying in bed, not running a marathon or anything) means she should have everyone putting her first and second guessing what might upset her.

Can't she look round the ward, see some people struggling with serious problems and get some sort of perspective.

I think the OP is BU, you should have told your friend to get a grip not relayed her moan on as if she was some sort of victim.

TimeofChange · 13/07/2013 08:01

40 years ago nurses did get a proper break.
The canteen was open all night and a proper cooked dinner was provided for night shift nurses as well as day shift.
The welfare of nurses seems to have disappeared over the years, not doubt to the detriment of their health.

Your friend is being VVVV unreasonable.

WaitMonkey · 13/07/2013 08:08

There are a lot of twats on this thread.

Whothefuckfarted · 13/07/2013 08:21

Nurses are overworked and need to eat on the go. She needs to get over it. ASAP.

Original poster
PatsyAndEddy · 13/07/2013 08:26

sash for the fourth time, I did

She was too sore to eat

OP posts:
Original poster
PatsyAndEddy · 13/07/2013 08:30

To be honest they weren't wolfing them down the were sitting, for some time passing them about. Its a quiet ward with a lounge attached. There was a lot of gossip going on too, but that doesn't happen does it?

Nurses are all overworked saints aren't they?

OP posts:
Tiredemma · 13/07/2013 08:31

The nurses are on my ward are overworked saints, yes.

Tiredemma · 13/07/2013 08:31

*who are