Question for people working in hospitals!

You'll definitely need to pre-pack meals if you want to stay healthy. Quick on the go snacks are best for throughout the shift but you'll need to take a break and actually eat something at some point- don't worry you'll have time. And sometimes you just have to say to yourself (and others) that it's insane to go through an entire shift without a lunch break. People tend to go overboard with stressing themselves out about it--your patient will LIVE if you take a break to eat something. I'm an ER nurse at a level 1 trauma hospital and even I have to tell my coworkers that I'll bite their head off if I don't eat something. Just plan EVERYTHING you'll allow yourself to eat in the amount of time that you'll be there (I do an entire day worth of meals for the 12 hours I will be there and don't let myself eat when I get home) Unless you're in an ER you'll most likely have time to take a break for a meal and even in the ER you can find a little nook somewhere to eat while you chart without patients staring at you.

I'm a paramedic and it is a nightmare trying to eat healthily on the move!..we do 12hr shifts too....during a night shift the only food options are mcdonalds or the filling station!.....so i started spreading pb2 mixed with jam onto rice cakes and put into a food bag and keep in my rucksack to have until i can get back to the station (if i get back lol!) and get my meal that i have in the fridge or some oatmeal.....i also have protein bars and a small tub of mixed fruit and nuts to nibble on along with a few bottles of water!
i get up early if i am on days and make 2 smoothies with frozen fruit, greek yoghurt, celery, seeds, ginger,and vanilla...put them in shaker bottles ....otherwise it is too easy to snack on junk food!

Eating one big meal a day is the same thing as eating 5 small meals a day and it is still considered healthy. Get your macros all in one meal and you can go about the rest of the day without having to worry about eating a snack or planning any of your meals. Your one meal a day could be dinner or breakfast, it's up to you. Obviously, I'm just some random person on the internet so you probably will not take my word for it and you don't have too since there is a real Licensed Dietitian on these forums, licensed by the state of Texas. You can ask him in the link below.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/13155-ask-the-dietitian


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As everyone else said, packed lunches are the way to go. You can't count on cafeteria food being healthy. You have no idea what it's cooked in/with and what the calorie content is. I work 12-hr shifts as an RN. On my work days, I usually have a protein shake for breakfast with a banana or other fruit blended in. I take snacks such as Greek yogurt, fruit, peanut butter, and a pre-made meal such as chili, soup, sandwhich, leftovers from dinner. This way I know how many calories are in my meals. I also try to pass up the free stuff people bring, such as donuts, birthday cake, etc. My beverages as work are usually just water or coffee.

med student as well - keep snacks in your white coat, that was a big thing for me

and avoid a lot of the free foods they will give out to residents (IE candy canes around christmas time, cookies etc.) Attendings will usually take you into the physicians lounges which will usually have some healthy and unhealthy options - dont be bashful all attendings were med students once, so feel free to load up your coat with a couple granola bars.

couple items I like are
Quest bars - high protein and super super high fiber, keep really well in the pocket
Starkist tuna packs - high protein, low calorie
Kashi cereal bars, usually on hand in lounges so I will pilfer these

most hospitals I rotate at seem to have subways as well, so you can get a decent meal there, albeit high in sodium - its doable even during my core surge rotations/IM rotations which are the busiest I was able to eat pretty decently

good luck with rotations!!

Edit: also if you are worried about time you can typically eat during any presentation (grandrounds, morning report, teaching rounds that are in classrooms) your attending/resident wont care about you eating while listening

I am a nurse and I have started pre packing my meals for my 12 hour shifts. I spend way less money and there is absolutely nothing for a healthy option in the hospital I work at which in my opinion is ridiculous!!

I know this goes against what a lot of diet experts tell us, but it works for me - I eat very little through out the day, then have a big meal when I get home. My dinner is usually between 800 and 1100 calories, but I make sure it's healthy food - tons of vegetables, plenty of protein and some good fat. My stand by is a bag of frozen vegetables tossed in the microwave for five mintes, a can of chicken breast or tuna, a cut up avocado or tables spoon of olive oil and a small scoop of cottage cheese. Ready in less than 10 minutes! I often get home late, eat this big meal around 9 or 10 PM and then go straight to bed. I know it's not ideal, but that's the only time I have to eat a real meal most days. Through out the rest of my day, I snack on vegetables (raw string beans and snap peas travel really well and don't get stuck in your teeth) and almonds. 7 almonds is only 50 calories, but the fat keeps me from getting hungry for a good 3 hours, and it keeps my brain going. Good luck!

I am an ICU and trauma bay respiratory therapist. I work 12 hour night shifts, all 3 shifts for the week in a row. I have been working that schedule for 20 years. What works for me is meals that can be eaten in 2-3 min, usually finger food, always healthy. I eat every 3 hours. Ouside of a situation where we have a fresh trauma coming in at that very minute, I can find 3 minutes to eat. By doing it that way, my BS never dips and is always stable. When I have a stable BS, I am not tempted to cheat, "just this once" Because I work all 3 nights in a row, I make up all the food the morning of my 1st shift. I have it packed in color coded tupperware, (I know OCD), that way if the family looks in the fridge, they instantly know that is my lunch food and not to eat it on pain of death. I also keep a protein shake or 2, the premixed ones from Sam's club, in my lunch bag. If I have a bad night, I drink one of those as an extra meal, rather then, "just run down to the cafe for a minute"

I worked at an academic hospital and med school for 7 years and DH is an ED doctor...yeah, sorry but these people saying to demand a break aren't being realistic of a student on rotation. You will get a chance to eat, but it's incredibly variable; I'm sure different hospitals are different, but our med students didn't even have anywhere to put their food! Obviously some rotations are better than others and have more predictable schedules; and I know you know this, but if the other people on your team aren't getting a break don't ask for one. Hang in there, it's a long journey but very worth it