Headline news today: Some nurses have to go without a lunch break......
..... Spoilt
... I guess they think this never happens in the private sector?
Headline news today: Some nurses have to go without a lunch break
Keith - Administrator
If I'm putting my life in the hands of a nurse or doctor I want them to be feeling 100%.
Any time you skip a meal, your body goes into “fasting mode”. During this fasting, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are all used for energy. Carbohydrates are the number one source of fuel, followed by protein and then fat. As the fasting continues, the following steps will occur:
• The glycogen storage deposits found in the liver and muscle become depleted.
• As the glucose levels drop, the body looks for other sources of fuel. Since the brain and nerves prefer energy from glucose, protein tissues (muscle and liver) are broken down.
• In efforts to preserve the remaining protein, the body starts to metabolize fat for energy in the form of ketone bodies (acetoacetic acid).
The process of using ketone bodies as fuel is called ketosis. This process can cause the following negative effects on the body (4,9,10):
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Lowered blood pressure
• Elevated uric acid (kidney disease)
• Stale taste in mouth
• Fetal harm/stillbirth in pregnant women
So it's alright for pilots, truck drivers, people working with heavy machinery, builders, etc
The problem is they have to work through their lunch period, unless they are totally stupid, they'll eat something.
Keith - Administrator
I don't think anybody should work through their lunch break, especially people who may put others health at risk if they don't do the job properly. It shouldn't be a lot to ask that somebody working for 8 hours can stop for at least 30mins, switch off from the job and get a bit to eat.
my misses 2 wks ago worked
monday 8am to 4pm
tuesday 8am to 4pm
wednesday 8am to 4pm
thursday 8am to 4pm
friday 9am to 9pm
saturday 9am to 9pm
sunday 9am to 9pm
monday 8am to 4pm
and was suppose to work tuesday 8 to 4pm, but she was too tired and ill
The Royal College of Nursing e mailed 100,000 nurses about working conditions. Only around 2% responded, some of whom said they missed meal times and breaks, and most that they were working extra hours.
It's more likely hospital inpatients are malnourished than staff. They have increased nutritional requirements (sepsis, burns, surgery), losses (malabsorption), decreased intake (nausea, difficulty swallowing), and many other causes including unappetising food (due to budget restrictions).
Joebloggs's wife - a doctor - should not be working a 68 hour week. The European Working Time Directive applied a 48 hour working week to all doctors from August last year. Obviously it's not good for anyone to work excessive hours. But it's not that simple. The Royal College of Surgeons claims the Directive means insufficient training time for surgeons, compromising patient safety. Many trainees and consultants in fact still work over the permitted hours, whether or not they have an "opt-out" clause with their employers. Other European countries ignore the Directive. An optimum working week - for health care workers and the patients they treat - would be less than joebloggs' wife works, but more than 48 hours. The Royal College of Surgeons has suggested 65 hours.
More doctors and nurses are also needed. It's to be hoped that Andrew Lansley will listen, not only to the Royal Colleges but also the general tax-paying
public, before proceding with the proposed NHS "reforms".
I work more than 70hrs a week
Keith - Administrator
Most employees I've found in the UK just seem to accept long working hours, some even seem to thrive on it, playing the martyr. I remember a colleague a few years ago refused to take any break all day, as though it made him look weak or something. My first job, I remember the boss calling everybody in for a meeting, explained the company was struggling and could everybody work 12 hour days for the next month at normal rate pay (it was usually time and a half for overtime). Nobody complained and just got on with it.
That's because we don't actually do any workOriginally Posted by Walaytawo
Keith - Administrator
The NHS is in a mess. So the Tories don't need to mess it up more. There are working hour laws. So your wife wouldn't be breaking it. If she is tired she needs to see her boss.
It's interesting to see where they got their information from.
My wife is a nurse working in the NHS and often does her 12 hour shifts without proper breaks. Also, she very rarely finishes on time.
If nurses have got it so easy, with long breaks, a light workload and no stress, then please let my wife know where she can apply!
The Royal College of Nursing
Keith - Administrator
Polling Station staff are expected to work from 6.20 am until 10.15 pm whenever there's an Election and/or Referendum of any sort ... AND their fee is taxable. But then, it's only for 1 day ... and [usually] just once a year or so on average. Nevertheless, it begs the question: Who- other than the Government itself - would be allowed to employ people for all those hours at the one go ...?
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