Disabilities Nurse no break

Elana10

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My cousin has recently got a job as an Intellectual Disabilities Nurse with a well known charity in a residential setting. Since she started 4 months ago she has been given mainly carer duties but the main problem is that she is having to do her 12 hour shift without any break. She had said at the start that she wanted to get a break which she has to take in her car as there is no room available for staff however she has found over the past few weeks that she is being left in the residential apartment with no-one available to relieve her she is finding that its not the lack of food it s the need for her mental health to have the break. Initially she had not been getting break and she mentioned it to her manager who said of course she is entitled to breaks but subsequently has been treating her negatively since so she is too scared to approach the manager again. She is still on probation. Im just looking for advice on how i can support her or how she can ask for her break without drawing the wrath of the manager ..... Other staff endure the same
 
Thanks I just checked with her and shes in the INMO I told her to email them and ask for advice or at the very least just let them know so that she has a record of it ..
 
Being on probation does not affect her working rights, she should insist on her lunch break and point out to the Manager that she is prepared to be flexible in an emergency but say that there must be somebody to relieve her for lunch. I would think if she does not sort this out now it will become the norm and that should not be allowed to continue.
 
Worked in the Disability sector for 13yrs and in residential child care for 8yrs previous to that.Pretty much for all of that time my so called break was taken along with the clients in my care. Any break away from the clients was with the cooperation of my fellow workers.
The above included working for the HSE,Department of Justice and Voluntary Bodies.
 
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