Mandatory lunch break a good idea?

[46Young]

The solution my old hospital came up with was to pay 37.5 hours on 40, with 1/2 hour meal break on every eight hours. For in hospital personnel, it was easy to do. For EMS, it was obviously different. We're given 30 mins on an 8 hour, 45 min on 12, and 1 hour (can broken into 1/2 hour x 2) on 16. You must monitor the radio on break. You can also be pulled off break for an emergent call. The thing is, if you're pulled off your break and don't get another, or work straight through your shift, you're paid time and a half for that 30 mins, 45 mins, or hour. Fair enough, I think. These aren't 24's and it's a busy system with fairly constant call volume.

Richard B will tell you, in NYC 911 you can request a 10-100 or "facilities", for two ten minute breaks on eight hours. My understanding is that on a 100 you're less recommended but can still be given a job in certain circumstances. For facilities, they'll call you, and you must answer, but can refuse the job by saying "My partner is still using facilities." Richard B could give us the most accurate info.

[stcommodore]

During our current contract talks we considered pushing this as an issue but decided against it. I work in a busy urban system and working during a daywork you must find a creative way to get back to the station for luch, buy luch, etc. We are given "30 min" once your at the hospital before they call you but most good medics don't use that time and cover there calls. The fact is in an understaffed system that always runs close to or at capacity I don't know how we could have a "lunch break" policy.

Anybody from FDNY, or other big systems out there...do you have a break policy and if so how does it work?

[jonas salk]

interesting hearing everyone's break situation. I thought my last service was bad, where all they did was endeavour to get crews a meal break.

My current service gives us two 30 minute meal breaks during the shift. We're still available for calls during them, however. If we have a call, or miss a meal break due to offload delay issues or coverage, or what have you, we get a small sum of cash ($10). So far this year I've received an additional 250 bucks on my pay cheques for missed meal breaks. It's quite amazing to see how quickly they add up.

Personally for most shifts i bring with me something to eat that doesn't require re-heating, like a couple of sandwiches, some fruit, which allows me to eat just about anywhere even if we don't make it to a base. While it's nice to have a warm meal, i've learned that it's not always wise to tempt fate, as more than once the 'tones' have gone off within seconds of the microwave buzzer.

[stcommodore]

The problem in my EMS system is that we work either day or night shifts 8a-8p, 8p-8a. So everyone that comes in for night has typically already had a meal, but doesn't mean a crew wouldn't want a break but its slightly different then a day shift. Along the same lines our union wanted to fight for crews that work 12 hour units to be paid 15-20min prior to the shift when they are checking there rig. My point was working a 24 hour unit, we don't get the time to check the squad between shifts most times, and second would be giving more pay to a small percent of the work force.

[Kiwiology]

In New Zealand it is a legal requirement to have a 30 minute rest break after each 5.5 hours of work one of which counts as the paid 30 minute break for a meal as part of the Ambulance union contract.

We can have ONE interrupted break during which we can go to a job but immeadiately after that job the crew is stood down fomr a break and another resource is moved to provider cover.

So in this case, if during our first break from 11.30-12.00pm this job came in, depending on how it was coded and who else was avaliable we might go to it and get stood down afterwards.

The EACC Call Taker codes the job as either p1 or p2, the Dispatcher makes a recommendation to the Team Manager as to which resource to send and the Team Manager has final authority.

[penguin_pong]

What do you guys do if your in the middle of cooking something just turn the oven/stove off and leave?

What about if you guys are at some fast food place or something waiting for your food and you get a call and you already paid for your food do you just leave?

I've just always wondered about these questions.

I understand the need to give crews a break on long shifts, especially when they are running their butts off. But last time I checked, I was in this industry to help people, not complain because I didn't get a lunch break. As with most rules, they are put in place because some/enough people complained about a situation to have it changed. We get 20 minute "breaks" here, but if the system drops, they'll pull you off break. If you are closer to a life-threatening emergency, they'll pull you off of break. I don't have a problem with that. We work 12 hour shifts and don't have stations (we use SSM), so that can make for a long shift. When it's busy all night, we don't get breaks. We're just used to it.

Do I think what happened in the article was wrong? Yes. I would think an EMS service has an obligation, especially in the case of a cardiac arrest, to send the closest unit possible, even if they have to interrupt their break. Cheeseburger or a man's life? Not a hard decision in my opinion. Cheeseburger can be re-heated or re-made. I person can't after a short period of time.

<b>A human can go about three weeks without food before it dies. A brain can go about three minutes before it begins to die.</b>

I agree with you I would Rather save someone’s life then eat right then and have to feel the guilt if they die or something. I’m not a paramedic or EMT yet but I pretty sure I would prefer to save someone.

[Kiwiology]

What do you guys do if your in the middle of cooking something just turn the oven/stove off and leave?

What about if you guys are at some fast food place or something waiting for your food and you get a call and you already paid for your food do you just leave?

I've just always wondered about these questions.

Yes.

That's why I bring food from home whenever I am on station.

[penguin_pong]

Yes.

That's why I bring food from home whenever I am on station.

When I work as an EMT or Paramedic years from now I will definitely bring food from home now.

[Dustdevil]

When I work as an EMT or Paramedic years from now I will definitely bring food from home now.

And if your employer prohibits food in the ambulance...?

[Kiwiology]

And if your employer prohibits food in the ambulance...?

Then don't eat in the vehicle?