I would also contact the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Royal
College of Nursing - firstly to see if they can offer advice and
secondly to let them know that this has happened.  Susan Hopkins is the
Education Advisor at the RCN and her contact details are:

Susan Hopkins
Education Adviser
Royal College of Nursing
20 Cavendish Square
London
W1G 0RN
 
secretary: 
Michelle Wong: [log in to unmask]
020 76473752 

Another person who could advise on the legal position is Monica Kreel at
the Equality and Human Rights Commission - she was one of the key people
involved in the Disability Rights Commission Formal Investigation into
nursing, teaching and social work.

As the student is supernumerary, is he required to work these hours?
When I've had students whose health would be affected by long shift
patterns I've suggested that they negotiate with the placement to
complete their hours by doing shorter days. Flexible working
hours/frequent breaks was identified as a reasonable adjustment in the
RCN Guidance for Mentors:
http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/78677/002797.pdf

Seems to me that he's not really asking for much more than a regular
"comfort break" - I wonder if all staff are rationed on these too?

I'd be very interested to hear the outcome of this.

Regards

Fiona

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pauline McInnes
Sent: 04 March 2008 14:09
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Breaks during placements for students with diabetes

Dear Nicky,
Surely, it would be a reasonable adjustment for both his placement and
his future working life for him to be allowed a five to ten minute break
at tea time due to his disability.

I don't see how it can really look unprofessional if he takes these
breaks, why does it look any more unprofessional than taking a breakfast
or lunch break?  That just seems like an absurd argument.

In terms of the other staff on the ward, they need to be told that he
requires these breaks, it would be better if the student can tell them
himself if he feels able to do so, but otherwise staff should be told
that this is one of the things that this student requires and they need
to be flexible to accommodate this.

I cannot remember the exact words, but students are not meant to be
treated as full time staff when they are on placement anyway.  Of
course, they are there to learn, but some placements will allow students
to sit quietly for some of the time and do their practice books or do
some reading.  They have to be on placement a certain number of hours
but they don't need to be in front of patients all that time.  Surely,
if this is the case a reasonable adjustment can be made to allow this
student a break for tea.

Failing to give him a break would not only be failing to make a
reasonable adjustment, it is quite possibly against health and safety
regulations.  Furthermore, how professional would it look if a student
went into a coma because the staff on the ward wouldn't let him have a
break?

The only thing he would have to ensure is that he is flexible, he might
not be able to have a break on the dot of five every day, it might
depend a little on when he has finished a task, but he must be allowed
to take one.

Regards
Pauline
Roehampton


-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hammond Nicola Miss (DOS)
Sent: 04 March 2008 13:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Breaks during placements for students with diabetes

Dear wise people,

I have been contacted by a nursing student with Type 1 Diabetes who is
out on an acute placement.  The student is currently having some
difficulty with being allowed the lunch/snack breaks which he needs to
control his hypoglycaemia.  The student reports that the effect of his
insulin acts for about 4-5 hours.  In order to regulate his blood sugars
during his 12.5 hour shifts he requires a short breakfast break, a lunch
break and another short break at tea time.  The placement seem reluctant
to let him take the break at tea time expecting him to wait until he
goes off shift.  When it has come to placement feedback he has been
informed that it appears unprofessional to ask for more breaks or go off
to have a 5 minute snack at tea time and other staff are not allowed
this.

His shifts are 7.30am-8pm. He has been told that he is legally allowed
20 minutes for every 6 hours of work.  If the student has breakfast
before leaving the house, this will have to be 6.30am and he will then
not make it through a busy morning on the ward.  He therefore has a
brief breakfast 5-10 minutes in the nursing station at about 8am and
takes lunch as usual (30 minutes).  He really requires a tea break as
well at about 5pm to control his blood sugars.  But if he takes a normal
30 mins at lunch and the 5-10 minutes he needs at 8am he is told that he
is not entitled to a tea  break.  I suppose he could do it if he
shortened his lunch break but I feel that everyone needs a certain
amount of rest at lunch.

Does anyone have a clear idea of the rights/ responsibilities in this
area?  I would very much appreciate feedback and suggestions of where to
go from here.

Many thanks

Nicky Hammond

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