moy505 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Im a student considering PA school and I have a question regarding how a typical day goes as a PA. Obviously it differs from specialty to specialty and job to job which is why I'd like it if a few different posters from different sepcialties could please chime in. So for personal reasons I need to take a break (~5 mins) in the early afternoon and another one later (around 3pm). Do most of you think that it's reasonable to find a job as a PA that will allow me to take a couple short 5 min breaks to sit in a day? How long is your lunch break/do you typically take a lunch break? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpackelly Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Gosh, urgent care or ED sometimes no break for 8-12 hours. Most specialty clinics or FP you can usually count on at least five minutes at lunch without charting, but charting through lunch is the norm for everyone (and then for an hour after clinic). If you have a medical reason of course you have the right to accommodation but it's very hard to pull off. We all have to go to the bathroom from time to time but all of us have had days when we even forget to drink water. Surgeries can go one for a number of hours--six to eight in some cases, and the first assistants and surgeons do not change out like nurses and techs. I can't comment about sub sub specialties. Psychiatry is unlikely to be as busy but mentally taxing in its own way. On the other hand everyone has boring days from time to time, but in my experience these are getting fewer and fewer as the pressure of medicine ramps up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthropathy Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 5 minutes is not that long. If your reasons are medical or religious or spiritual, it really shouldn't be a problem to find a couple minutes AT SOME point, but maybe not when you would like it. And you might end up wanting to spend those 5 minutes eating or peeing. EM and surgery are not conducive to breaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moy505 Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 5 minutes is not that long. If your reasons are medical or religious or spiritual, it really shouldn't be a problem to find a couple minutes AT SOME point, but maybe not when you would like it. And you might end up wanting to spend those 5 minutes eating or peeing. EM and surgery are not conducive to breaking. Do you think that being a derm PA would allow me to be able to take a few minutes off? Its not that I NEED to take a break at exactly 12pm, but I do want 5 mins sometime between like 11:30am-2pm. What do you guys typically do for lunch/using the bathroom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiovolffemtp Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 ED life is non-stop. That said, you learn that it's OK for almost all patients to wait the few minutes it takes for a quick bathroom or other break a couple of times during a 12 hour shift. You can usually slide that in within a several hour window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrsmurf Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Just don't go into a surgical field. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you're muslim? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKPAC Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I work FP and have worked EM in the past, I can tell you that FP is frequently non-stop. Today, for example, I didn't get a break all day. I scarfed down a quick lunch while talking with a drug rep and back to work. If breaks are important, I suggest a specialty where you have more control of your schedule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moy505 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 I work FP and have worked EM in the past, I can tell you that FP is frequently non-stop. Today, for example, I didn't get a break all day. I scarfed down a quick lunch while talking with a drug rep and back to work. If breaks are important, I suggest a specialty where you have more control of your schedule. Could you give a few examples of recommended specialties that allow some down time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polarbebe Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Could you give a few examples of recommended specialties that allow some down time? I have not worked in these fields, but I imagine where the patient population are less likely to be acutely/critically ill and/or likely do not need immediate intervention: occupational health, long term care/rehab facility, hospice care, radiology PA (watching the injection of IV contrast all day long), etc. Nurses get scheduled breaks everywhere where I work. It's common at where I work in the ED, I'll start my 12 hour 8AM shift and eat my lunch at 9PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted January 6, 2015 Moderator Share Posted January 6, 2015 What do you need down time for? makes a difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moy505 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 What do you need down time for? makes a difference I am a devout Muslim that prays 5 times a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 6, 2015 Moderator Share Posted January 6, 2015 ED life is non-stop. That said, you learn that it's OK for almost all patients to wait the few minutes it takes for a quick bathroom or other break a couple of times during a 12 hour shift. You can usually slide that in within a several hour window. or eat at your desk while reviewing labs, etc. I keep a bag of granola bars in my bag at all times. (cliff bar chocolate chip) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted January 6, 2015 Administrator Share Posted January 6, 2015 I am a devout Muslim that prays 5 times a day. ... Then I believe your question is phrased too narrowly, because you're only asking about two specific times during the day. In any specialty, at all, a typical medical day extends from 10-14 hours, not the 8 you're projecting, and often on a rotating or variable basis. You would be expected to work Fridays in most practice settings as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moy505 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 ... Then I believe your question is phrased too narrowly, because you're only asking about two specific times during the day. In any specialty, at all, a typical medical day extends from 10-14 hours, not the 8 you're projecting, and often on a rotating or variable basis. You would be expected to work Fridays in most practice settings as well. Ya your right. I was thinking about it from the perspective of some of the PAs that I've talked to that work from 8AM-6PM. IF I get a job in an 8AM-6PM field then I would likely only need those two times to take a break but as you said if I do something else then I'll have to see. So do you think a derm PA can take a few breaks? Can you guys give me exaples of PAs that can take breaks? A PA friend told me it should be no problem at all in a lot of specialties but I forgot to ask him about specific examples...hoping this forum could help with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted January 7, 2015 Moderator Share Posted January 7, 2015 I am a devout Muslim that prays 5 times a day. excuse my ignorance, but does this need to be at very specific times? I think it I remember it being at specific times related to sunrise and sunset... The reason I ask is that it is not that you can schedule a lunch at the same time every day, but instead the times might well change in in the northern regions the sun is setting before the end of the work day.... hence might be more then just two times I certainly would eliminate ER, Surgery, or just about any hospital based clinic. I worked in chronic pain and that would have been able to schedule like that.... but that is about the only place --- low volume no procedures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moy505 Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 excuse my ignorance, but does this need to be at very specific times? I think it I remember it being at specific times related to sunrise and sunset... The reason I ask is that it is not that you can schedule a lunch at the same time every day, but instead the times might well change in in the northern regions the sun is setting before the end of the work day.... hence might be more then just two times I certainly would eliminate ER, Surgery, or just about any hospital based clinic. I worked in chronic pain and that would have been able to schedule like that.... but that is about the only place --- low volume no procedures. What about in derm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFarnsworth Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 It depends on the practice. A well run derm practice will give you a lunch break and you can sneak in 5 minutes here and there. Same goes for an urgent care if it's not too crazy. In the ER and surgery, you can't count on getting any breaks at all. I hate to say it, but it might be looked down upon if you go off in the middle of a hectic day, no matter what the reason. In my personal experience there is little tolerance for taking a break when there is work to be done. Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moy505 Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 It depends on the practice. A well run derm practice will give you a lunch break and you can sneak in 5 minutes here and there. Same goes for an urgent care if it's not too crazy. In the ER and surgery, you can't count on getting any breaks at all. I hate to say it, but it might be looked down upon if you go off in the middle of a hectic day, no matter what the reason. In my personal experience there is little tolerance for taking a break when there is work to be done. Just my 2 cents. Also I want to make clear that 5 mins is the ideal time I want but I can pray in under 3 mins if needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myironlung Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 my best piece of advice would be to become an atheist and make things a lot easier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbingle Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I assume you dont plan to tell your prospective employer you want these breaks? Whcih would likely end up with you stating after you are hired, that you have the right to these breaks? Some may not mind at all, while others will place their bussiness priorities above your needs, which is the norm. I would say most of us dont get a scheduled "anything" except office based jons that have lunch, and thats for admin/phone staff. You chart through lunch or it doesnt get done, unless you stay late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted January 7, 2015 Administrator Share Posted January 7, 2015 my best piece of advice would be to become an atheist and make things a lot easier That's inappropriate. I didn't suggest the OP change to my religion. I think it's far more appropriate to recognize the value of a strongly held religious belief system--even if you or I happen to hold different ones--in the delivery of care. Viewing one's desire to heal others as a religious calling rather than simply a humanitarian or (eww) financially rewarding career field places the OP's motivation in an entirely different league. Would you tell a patient to change his or her religion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpackelly Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 If it is really important to you you can make it happen. I would stay away from the ED (you can't walk away from a code) or surgery (ditto with the OR). It would be unusual to be criticized for taking 4 minutes off. Finding a private place that is not the bathroom might be an obstacle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulfari Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I worked 2 years in derm as an MA/Mohs surgical tech for my HCE prior to PA school and I can tell you that the PAs hit the ground running from the moment they clock in to the moment they clock out; with a designated lunch break that can often get rearranged on the fly due to patient volume and surgical flow of the day. Derm is not exactly slow paced as most practices and physicians like to see a high volume of patients and bill for as many procedures as possible. Also board certified derms (in my experience) don't seem to look too highly upon PAs because they're usually top of their MD class, yada yada yada....This is all anecdotal from my personal experience. But if you were to get hired into this practice you will not find the accommodation that you are looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moy505 Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 I worked 2 years in derm as an MA/Mohs surgical tech for my HCE prior to PA school and I can tell you that the PAs hit the ground running from the moment they clock in to the moment they clock out; with a designated lunch break that can often get rearranged on the fly due to patient volume and surgical flow of the day. Derm is not exactly slow paced as most practices and physicians like to see a high volume of patients and bill for as many procedures as possible. Also board certified derms (in my experience) don't seem to look too highly upon PAs because they're usually top of their MD class, yada yada yada....This is all anecdotal from my personal experience. But if you were to get hired into this practice you will not find the accommodation that you are looking for. That may have been your experience but in the past two weeks I've talked to 10 people that I know much better than you and they have all literally said its no problem at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulfari Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Exactly why I said "this" practice. My experience is anecdotal, as are your 10 other resources. Good luck in your search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.