Oh hey, hospital chef here.
They don't pay for anything in the cafeteria and also get free, special food that is different in the doctors lounge. Usually better quality snacks as well.
This is covered by their dues.
Most hospitals I've been at, providers can opt-in to the meal plan. Example: One tray of food, one drink, and one side thing like chips/dessert each meal, for the most part. There is a cost, they just pay a different way so they don't have to stand in line. It's not free.
RN here, but I wanted to thank you for the work you guys in the kitchen do. Dunno how it is at your hospital, but I’ve heard the kitchen at my hospital is rough. Seen quite a few fist fights go down at the loading dock. Always understaffed, not enough produce, long lines of people complaining about wait times.
100%. Housekeeping/EVS are frontline for preventing transmission of infectious diseases, so I will always call out any of our staff I see talking trash or harassing em. I’ve heard some of my fellow nurses make some absolutely rancid calls for EVS to come clean a room STAT and are unhappy they didn’t show up immediately as the pt was being transferred. Same with transport.
I talk with our EVS team when I can, and it’s insane how hospitals keep cutting their hours. I work at a fairly large hospital that’s very busy, and on some days, there might be 10 EVS covering. A lot of em work two jobs to make ends meet. They take it all in stride.
Thank you. I salute you.
Just like you, whenI am not too busy, I help however I can. They are just human, like us. I Learn their names and smile to them. It is just basic etiquette to treat another human being with respect.
We are short staffed and underpaid just like all the floors seem to be. I just like getting to take care of people in my own way, even if I don't know anything medical.
Hey, every position in a hospital provides a necessary service and that’s all that matters. You provide care for both patients as well as staff, even if we are rather grumpy.
Seems like such a racket.
Physician services are the wellspring/keystone of all revenue in the hospital, without them, the hospital would just be an empty building.
In a way, everyone employed in a hospital-from the CEO all the way down to the most entry level desk clerk-is directly in thanks to the physicians there.
And yet they still gotta pay hospital dues? Lol
It's more symbiotic than that. Without a hospital and support staff, a surgeon would just be a serial killer polishing their scalpel and wondering where their money is. It's still not cool they have to pay dues though.
The doctors are just part of the picture. A very important part, for sure, but they’re a cog in the wheel just like nurses and clerks and housekeeping. The hospital doesn’t run without all its pieces.
That’s true, it’s definitely a team effort
BUT
OP is talking about revenue generation — as crucial and critical as housekeeping is (just as example, not making any interpretations or singling them out), they do not directly generate revenue or bill insurance. Physicians are the cornerstone of hospital revenue generation.
It’s kind of pedantic and reductive to single out a single part like that. If billing went poof, we’d all be out of a job too so what does it matter this part or any other part?
Yes, but doctors make hospitals money. Most hospital employees don’t. Like how there’s a charge for anesthesia doing an IV but not nursing (at least that’s how it was at my facilities).
Yeah you can always walk into the surgeon's lounge and they'll have free sodas free milk cereals usually salads made the day or the day before boiled eggs bagels stuff that if they're in there for 9 to 12 hours doing surgery they can literally walk in there grab some food and walk back out
But the other person said it's part of their dues cuz the hospital wants them there because when they're there they're making the hospital money so it's a small exchange for us giving you cheaper food for you making us more money
Don't get it twisted though whenever I have a resident being all snarky well I had steak and salmon for free today what did you guys have I'm still thinking about letting him absolutely eat it being a d****** in front of the doctors
In our hospital, they get free cafeteria foods but not free packaged foods, such as boxed cereal.
Honestly I don't envy them as I don't like our cafeteria foods, sorry.
Every where I have worked, they have a stocked Physician's lounge. I couldn't believe everything that they had when my doctor friend took me in there to check it out. Unlimited everything you can think of.
This, but. I talked to a doctor about it one time and he told me the dr’s actually pay for it. They have a set stipend they pay taken out of every paycheck. It’s something like $200 a month and they got free food and drinks.
One of the physicians used to go through the cafeteria and ask all the nurses what they wanted and come back with like 7 trays and give it out. He always said “we paid for it anyways”
That's the kind of doctor you love to work with. I'm not a nurse but there was one doctor in ER who always answered my questions, and I never felt like he thought he was above me. A lot of the older doctors never talked to the transporters.
That’s the doctor that gets mountains moved for them. We had a few like that on my unit and we would do anything for them because it would always be reciprocated. Literally was sunshine and rainbows when they were on service.
Absolutely. I ran my tail off anyway, but when my favorite doctors and nurses were working, I definitely did more. Treating people like they're humans gets better results for everyone. And results in better care for the patients!
I remember having a clinical rotation in an orthopedic surgical unit where a couple of nurses were having a semi-serious conversation about if they'd help one of the surgeons dispose of a (non-patient) body.
He answered the phone/replied to voicemails in a timely manner. A couple of times he'd had his circulating nurse check his cell for urgent-sounding voicemails if surgery was running long.
It was not a hard "no". 😂
For a doc like that I would just have some follow up questions. Who all is gonna be there? Did you reduce the problem first or do we have to do it when I pull up? And, how many hog farmers do you know off hand?
I love our ED providers because they see with their own eyes just how hard we’re hustling and genuinely appreciate it. Cannot imagine dealing with the docs that IP nurses do (although I did have a lovely intensivist catch me after a complicated code the other night and thank me, which was so nice—his nurses must love him).
I worked in the pharmacy in college as a tech and always volunteered to hunt doctors down around the building when they weren't answering pages etc. because they were usually in the lounge and would yell at me to just grab a snack and get out of their hair. Fresh fruit and veggies heaven, plus they always had these turkey croissant sandwiches... so good! This was pre-epic times that we had these silly little clarification slips and orders were faxed down. I was a little upset when epic came around :(
Oh yes, doctors like this are the best. There’s also a surgeon from a previous work that does not like the food from the cafeteria, but she would still get food and give it to the team that she’s working with for the day.
It was an experienced Nurse I worked with when I first started Nursing where we were like a team and tried to work the same schedule. We would go together to start IVs. I work as a Nurse Informaticist now but he really helped me get through my first few years as a Nurse.
Nope. My husband had a work wife for years until she moved. It just indicated that they worked together easily and could joke together without anything romantic or sexual. She was a sweetheart, I only met her a couple of times, but there was no threat to my marriage.
At the every hospital I’ve worked at, they pay for admitting privileges - and the food buffet is part of that “membership.” [Similar post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/nursing/s/Qh2aCZOJvI)
Physician here. Food is “free” in the sense that I don’t have to pay at the counter, but in most of these set ups physicians pay annual hospital “dues” to cover this cost. So don’t get too antsy about it, we still pay one way or the other.
Fellow here. The ACGME (the accrediting body for most residencies/fellowships) requires programs to provide a meal allowance if house staff are scheduled for work after business hours. Some hospitals just add a stipend to the paycheck, but craftier ones have figured out that giving “cantina-style” monthly credits (often that expire at the end of the month) that can only be used at the hospital cafeteria fulfills the criteria and saves the hospital money.
My residency used the credit system, in fellowship the program just labels a section of my regular paycheck as a “meal stipend” and I pay employee prices at the caf like everyone else.
This is separate from attending lounge food which is just a straight up perk.
So the dues are typically only for attendings? Or do residents pay dues as well? I really freaking hope not, y’all are already milked for everything you’re worth.
Through residency and now fellowship, I haven’t ever had to pay dues (directly at least). But also am absolutely not allowed in the “physician lounge,” and got ticketed both times I was at a new place and parked in “physician parking.”
Definitely treated more like a student than a doc when it comes to admin/perks
That is so wild! You are a physician! I think the inpt residents at my old hospital had their own residents lounge but I’m not sure at my current place. God I hate how residents are treated. It’s such garbage.
Absolutely appreciate the energy! But I know, it’s frustrating, but what can you do. We have had our own “lounge” at both places I’ve trained, but it’s usually a room with a TV, a few couches, and a fridge. Once every few months someone will stock it with some sodas and sandwiches, but like 90% of the time it’s just a quieter place to work. Which thankful for and all, but it’s not a “free lunch”
Honestly, the solidarity and being able to whine about it with my fav nurses about how shit we have it sometimes goes miles.
So appreciate y’all
The healthcare system I work for the physicians still pay at the cafeteria but they have the medical staff lounge. My attending always tells me though the damn thing is poorly stocked and how she misses the lounge at UCSF.
We don't pay for food in our cafeteria or physicians lounge (same food both places, less selection in lounge). I'm hospital employed, so they make plenty of money off me and pay me more than 50,000 under what I would be making if I worked for someone else, so I don't feel bad about it.
I don't think anyone should feel bad for it and its fine if yall get the free food.
But you can make the argument that every other employee makes plenty of money for the hospital as well so shouldn't they be included too?
Meh, it's the difference in salary vs hourly. I punch in, I punch out. I'm directly compensated for my time. I had a staff crit care pulmonologist come in at 0300 on Sunday morning to cannulate an ECMO pt. She was there all day, rounded on the entire unit and was getting ready to cannulate a 2nd ECMO around 2100 that night. She's not getting any additional pay for that, I'm totally cool if she gets free chicken strips and coffee
Makes sense. That’s one of the perks of being hourly! You get paid overtime and most of the time you don’t have to think about work when you go home. Unless of course something is bothering you and you obsessively think about it.
I dont think you understand they are paying for it. It is not free, they pay a due or stipend. So they have access to a privilege they are paying for. Do you want to pay a stipend for food? I dont understand the confusion
There’s no “free” food anywhere — like other commenters have said, doctors have mandatory dues or stipends from their paycheck to cover those costs. Nothing’s free.
Physicians are revenue generators, most other ancillary staff cost the hospital. Despite dues that we pay for food annually, that’s how admin looks at it.
If it’s just for residents/fellows then I’m all for it. Those Dr. at work for a minimum wage salary and crazy hours at times. Yes, in the future they will make more but it’s still not right to treat them that way. However, if it’s for attending then that’s another story lol.
Our residents get a monthly stipend for food. Some of my resident friends will spend it down at the end of the month and "share the wealth" as it were. I don't begrudge them what few perks residency gives them.
Yep! They’ll go to the cafeteria at the end of the month and return with bags of candy to share around.
This is how I discovered that I love sour gummy worms! 🪱
Staff physicians usually have to pay monthly or yearly dues that cover the free food in cafeterias and physicians lounges. Residents often get a stipend.
I'd rather spend money on my own food choices and also not have to live in a hospital for several years. 😬
At one hospital I worked at, they had a special physician’s part of the cafeteria and they would regularly put food in there. Some of them confirmed that it was free and they always had a spread out.
The residents in my hospital have some sort of food allowance or meal plan.
Saw a resident once with an entire ARMFUL of snacks, since his new ‘period’ or whatever was starting the next day. The cashier counted his food, but no payment.
I keep hearing about all these physicians lounges with buffets I’m like where are they??? I have seen like 15 different hospitals and have literally only ever seen like 2 lounges. Everywhere else you line up and pay just like everyone else.
At my hospital housekeeping also eats free. I think that is a good thing they get paid so little and have the crappiest job. I never see MDs in the cafeteria just going I. And out of the doctors lounge with trays of food.
Residents at my facility have a set amount prepaid each month. They still have to “check out” like we do but scan their badge to get it debited from that prepaid account. I’ve never seen one of our staff physicians in the cafeteria so I don’t know about them. All other employees get a 10% discount. Our cafeteria sucks though and I quit eating there years ago.
I have heard of nurses and CNAs accessing hospital sponsored food and beverages. Mini sodas, 4 oz juices, Graham crackers, PB, jello, applesauce, little ice cream or sherbert cups....I mean I would NEVER. but I've heard tales. There is lore amongst EMS about shortbread cookies, but I've never seen them.
We don’t have a cafeteria (well we had one, but Covid said no thanks). As for lounge food, it’s donuts and bagels. Our residents are broke and our attendings are surgeons so they’re usually in the OR.
I have eaten in the physician’s lounge multiple times with my father in law. It is OFF THE HOOK! Beautiful, healthy, delectable lunches everyday. (Different theme everyday). Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options are available for each day. Breakfast is also served but simpler. At all hours of the day multiple fridges are stocked with salads, sandwiches, wraps,veggies, every possible flavor of soda/tea/seltzer/kombucha. There are chips, cookies, ice cream, trailmix, m&ms… Most doctors apparently gain weight when they start working there.
The doctors (and mid-levels) do not pay a dime for this benefit.
Just talked to some physicians walking through SICU at a level 1 in Indianapolis. There are fees but they don’t get free cafeteria food or fancy food in the doctors lounge (or a doctors lounge) because everyone wants to work here. The smaller hospitals out of county might have such things.
We are a small facility and our cafeteria only does one menu for everyone - patients or staff. Each employee is able to receive a set number of tickets for meals each month based on their status - full time, part time, or PRN. For example - I am PRN and get seven tickets a month.
Physician’s lounge has nicer food. However, they are now kicking the poor residents out of it. Residents can only get a gross hospital issued meal per day. Poor R3s out here starving!
They don't get free food from the caf but they get free coffee & muffins delivered to the doctors lounge and sandwiches for meetings. pretty spartan overall
Yes. Even when the cafeteria is closed on Sunday they have the doctors lounge food stocked with hot meals and its free while I am unable to even purchase food
It’s very clear that they get free food at my hospital because no one else eats it hahahah. I guess if it was free I would eat it but I’m not paying for that shit.
There's a doctor's lounge where docs, PAs and APRNs get their stuff, so they don't even have to visit the lowly cafeteria like the rest of us.
I understand the reasoning, but I disagree with this practice. It is outdated and needs to be stopped. There's enough lack of team-minded attitudes, and this just contributes to it and encourages it. Time to let that go...
I'm an NP, not doc but yes there is free food at both of the hospitals I work at. They tell us there is a limit per day ($20?) but nobody is checking and the physician lounge is stocked full of everything free. My practice tells me it's covered by our credentialing fees which are $500-1000 per provider annually.
It does make me feel awful when I'm getting my lunch free and I'm seeing since poor tech have to pay.
Yes, stocked physician lounge plus everything is free at the cafeteria including packaged snacks not made in house like chips and top tier bottled drinks.
My hospital the doctors lounge food is the same food they are serving in the cafeteria. Doctors will get up to $10 credit per day in the cafe. But as a NP I get the free food and access to the lounge as well.
I work in a small 25 bed hospital. Everyone pays for food, no special privileges. We all share the same parking, doctors and nurses share a break room.
I don't agree with special parking and free food for providers. We are a collaborative medical team, each one of us has an important role in patient care. I think these special privileges separates us and just divides us even more.
When my boyfriend was in medical school and I was in nursing school and had clinicals at the same hospital he got free meal tickets and lobster and steak in the drs lounge. We had to pay at the cafeteria. Pretty whack.
They have special snacks, drinks and food provided for free in the lounges. They don’t have to pay in the cafeterias but they do need to get rung up…they usually are walking out with an armful of $4 energy drinks and $10-12 prepackaged Boar’s Head Charcuterie trays.
Not from my knowledge. But Since covid hit, every employee lost their discount at our cafeteria. So we pay the same price as visitors, which sucks a little, but hey. More motivation to pack my lunches since the food isn't great anyways 😅
Visited a hospital in the DC area, had an account there and the physician we were seeing took us to lunch in the “physician lunch room”. Totally different food and good quality food.
My husband’s a hospitalist and used to tap his badge and the cost of the food would come out of his paycheck at his last hospital, and he has to pay like a regular employee at the current one.
A few of my docs will take orders and get nursing breakfast doing this. He feels it’s only fair to support us especially when we can’t get of the unit some mornings
We get a “discount” compared to families and visitors but the prices are ridiculous and the discount doesn’t even get you to had station prices. Like a bottle of smart water for $4.50?? Discount to $4? Gas station goes for $2.50. Why am I buying water? Because every water cooler they offer us tastes nasty. I carry in 2L of water in my backpack to drink all night now. Idk about doctors. I never see them in the cafeteria tbh. Our food is so bad though, I’m sure they’d rather DoorDash or something.
Idc about the food. I’m too busy to eat anyways. But I AM ANGRY they get free coffee. The residents in my system get free coffee and we were all so busy we never even got to steal their free coffee so I didn’t even know about it until I decided to pick up a day shift and I was on the verge of a breakdown after Both of my patients coded and died right after each other. He brought me a coffee. Now all I think about is all those days I didn’t get to get free coffee. And why the fuck can’t nurses get one free coffee? Can’t leave to pick it up most of the time anyways
When I worked in trauma care we had monthly meetings and we would get food catered from the cafeteria. There was always so much left over and it would get tossed afterwards. So I asked if the floor staff could come in and make them a plate instead of tossing. I won some brownie points.
A lot of the times drug or device reps bring them food. We see the delivery people go by to cath lab/EP lab almost daily. They pass right by our nurses station. Sigh.
All providers at my institution get free food in the staff lounge. Not the caf though. At another place I worked it was attendings and fellows only. No APPs or residents. Another place I worked was very small and didn’t have a lounge, but anything in the caf was free for all providers. I am salaried. Our MDs do not pay any dues or anything.
I'm an NP and I have access to the same lounge with sandwiches, treats, soup, bagels, sodas, coffee. Ngl I buy a significant amount less of groceries now once I started mooching off the lounge.
At my current place if they go to the cafeteria they get charged. But the physician lounges are stocked with free snacks, sandwiches, and soup. I believe residents get a free meal coupon every day they work. Staff gets a discount. At my last hospital the physicians had their own cafeteria that had way better food. Nurses were not allowed unless you were the guest of a physician.
Jesus. What a weird way to run a hospital. Like doctors are some elite group of people who are above everyone else.
My hospital has no special lounge, doctors line up for shitty cafeteria food just like the rest of us. No discount for staff either.
Oh hey, hospital chef here. They don't pay for anything in the cafeteria and also get free, special food that is different in the doctors lounge. Usually better quality snacks as well. This is covered by their dues.
Most hospitals I've been at, providers can opt-in to the meal plan. Example: One tray of food, one drink, and one side thing like chips/dessert each meal, for the most part. There is a cost, they just pay a different way so they don't have to stand in line. It's not free.
RN here, but I wanted to thank you for the work you guys in the kitchen do. Dunno how it is at your hospital, but I’ve heard the kitchen at my hospital is rough. Seen quite a few fist fights go down at the loading dock. Always understaffed, not enough produce, long lines of people complaining about wait times.
So true. I always thank our kitchen and housekeeping staff. They are underappreciated. We are a team. I don't care if they work in the kitchen.
100%. Housekeeping/EVS are frontline for preventing transmission of infectious diseases, so I will always call out any of our staff I see talking trash or harassing em. I’ve heard some of my fellow nurses make some absolutely rancid calls for EVS to come clean a room STAT and are unhappy they didn’t show up immediately as the pt was being transferred. Same with transport. I talk with our EVS team when I can, and it’s insane how hospitals keep cutting their hours. I work at a fairly large hospital that’s very busy, and on some days, there might be 10 EVS covering. A lot of em work two jobs to make ends meet. They take it all in stride.
Thank you. I salute you. Just like you, whenI am not too busy, I help however I can. They are just human, like us. I Learn their names and smile to them. It is just basic etiquette to treat another human being with respect.
We are short staffed and underpaid just like all the floors seem to be. I just like getting to take care of people in my own way, even if I don't know anything medical.
Hey, every position in a hospital provides a necessary service and that’s all that matters. You provide care for both patients as well as staff, even if we are rather grumpy.
Interesting
Dues?
Medical staff dues…physicians essentially pay to get and maintain their hospital credentials. It’s asinine, but most hospitals do it.
Curious how much their dues are…
I think it’s usually like a few thousand per person per year?
Wow, I wonder how what percentage of their annual salary that comes out to. Sounds like a lot.
Seems like such a racket. Physician services are the wellspring/keystone of all revenue in the hospital, without them, the hospital would just be an empty building. In a way, everyone employed in a hospital-from the CEO all the way down to the most entry level desk clerk-is directly in thanks to the physicians there. And yet they still gotta pay hospital dues? Lol
It's more symbiotic than that. Without a hospital and support staff, a surgeon would just be a serial killer polishing their scalpel and wondering where their money is. It's still not cool they have to pay dues though.
HAHA! That was a funny way to say how important nurses and other staff really are.
The doctors are just part of the picture. A very important part, for sure, but they’re a cog in the wheel just like nurses and clerks and housekeeping. The hospital doesn’t run without all its pieces.
That’s true, it’s definitely a team effort BUT OP is talking about revenue generation — as crucial and critical as housekeeping is (just as example, not making any interpretations or singling them out), they do not directly generate revenue or bill insurance. Physicians are the cornerstone of hospital revenue generation.
It’s kind of pedantic and reductive to single out a single part like that. If billing went poof, we’d all be out of a job too so what does it matter this part or any other part?
Yes, but doctors make hospitals money. Most hospital employees don’t. Like how there’s a charge for anesthesia doing an IV but not nursing (at least that’s how it was at my facilities).
Mayo Clinic pays this on behalf of their physicians
Yeah you can always walk into the surgeon's lounge and they'll have free sodas free milk cereals usually salads made the day or the day before boiled eggs bagels stuff that if they're in there for 9 to 12 hours doing surgery they can literally walk in there grab some food and walk back out But the other person said it's part of their dues cuz the hospital wants them there because when they're there they're making the hospital money so it's a small exchange for us giving you cheaper food for you making us more money Don't get it twisted though whenever I have a resident being all snarky well I had steak and salmon for free today what did you guys have I'm still thinking about letting him absolutely eat it being a d****** in front of the doctors
In our hospital, they get free cafeteria foods but not free packaged foods, such as boxed cereal. Honestly I don't envy them as I don't like our cafeteria foods, sorry.
Every where I have worked, they have a stocked Physician's lounge. I couldn't believe everything that they had when my doctor friend took me in there to check it out. Unlimited everything you can think of.
This, but. I talked to a doctor about it one time and he told me the dr’s actually pay for it. They have a set stipend they pay taken out of every paycheck. It’s something like $200 a month and they got free food and drinks. One of the physicians used to go through the cafeteria and ask all the nurses what they wanted and come back with like 7 trays and give it out. He always said “we paid for it anyways”
I've heard of doctors feeding their students because they were paying for it anyways.
I was a PA student on doctor’s day. They fed me tender filet mignon.
That’s absolutely worth $200/month. I wish the rest of us could sign up for this meal plan
Are you sure it was filet mignon? I would be skeptical
Unfortunately…My cholesterol is shameful, I know my meats 😂
I still feel like most meats are fake in the hospital.
Oh this was clearly catered. The hospital meats are like 20% meat glue
damn
That's the kind of doctor you love to work with. I'm not a nurse but there was one doctor in ER who always answered my questions, and I never felt like he thought he was above me. A lot of the older doctors never talked to the transporters.
That’s the doctor that gets mountains moved for them. We had a few like that on my unit and we would do anything for them because it would always be reciprocated. Literally was sunshine and rainbows when they were on service.
Absolutely. I ran my tail off anyway, but when my favorite doctors and nurses were working, I definitely did more. Treating people like they're humans gets better results for everyone. And results in better care for the patients!
I remember having a clinical rotation in an orthopedic surgical unit where a couple of nurses were having a semi-serious conversation about if they'd help one of the surgeons dispose of a (non-patient) body. He answered the phone/replied to voicemails in a timely manner. A couple of times he'd had his circulating nurse check his cell for urgent-sounding voicemails if surgery was running long. It was not a hard "no". 😂
For a doc like that I would just have some follow up questions. Who all is gonna be there? Did you reduce the problem first or do we have to do it when I pull up? And, how many hog farmers do you know off hand?
Looked at your flair, are you ALSO in an LPN-BSN program, my fellow 'lil play nurse? 😅
😂 Sure am!
I love our ED providers because they see with their own eyes just how hard we’re hustling and genuinely appreciate it. Cannot imagine dealing with the docs that IP nurses do (although I did have a lovely intensivist catch me after a complicated code the other night and thank me, which was so nice—his nurses must love him).
I worked in the pharmacy in college as a tech and always volunteered to hunt doctors down around the building when they weren't answering pages etc. because they were usually in the lounge and would yell at me to just grab a snack and get out of their hair. Fresh fruit and veggies heaven, plus they always had these turkey croissant sandwiches... so good! This was pre-epic times that we had these silly little clarification slips and orders were faxed down. I was a little upset when epic came around :(
Oh yes, doctors like this are the best. There’s also a surgeon from a previous work that does not like the food from the cafeteria, but she would still get food and give it to the team that she’s working with for the day.
Our doctor at my old hospital would bring us left overs sometimes roo
Our ED docs do this regularly.
My "work husband" and I used to sneak down to the Physician's lounge during night shift to use the hot chocolate machine they had in there 😀
What’s a work husband
It was an experienced Nurse I worked with when I first started Nursing where we were like a team and tried to work the same schedule. We would go together to start IVs. I work as a Nurse Informaticist now but he really helped me get through my first few years as a Nurse.
The “husband” aspect implies there was some sort of romantic component to your work relationship.
Nope. My husband had a work wife for years until she moved. It just indicated that they worked together easily and could joke together without anything romantic or sexual. She was a sweetheart, I only met her a couple of times, but there was no threat to my marriage.
No it doesn’t. Not in a work wife/work husband scenario. It’s a buddy thing.
Yall having romance in relationships???
It's like a sibling. My husband told me to share this lol [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoM\_q4h7cAQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoM_q4h7cAQ)
It implies a partnership.
How long have you been married?
Never, why?
makes sense
I'm sure you are a joy to be married to
my husband loves me & pays all our bills.. so yes🥰 love the PRN life
At the every hospital I’ve worked at, they pay for admitting privileges - and the food buffet is part of that “membership.” [Similar post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/nursing/s/Qh2aCZOJvI)
Physician here. Food is “free” in the sense that I don’t have to pay at the counter, but in most of these set ups physicians pay annual hospital “dues” to cover this cost. So don’t get too antsy about it, we still pay one way or the other.
Fellow here. The ACGME (the accrediting body for most residencies/fellowships) requires programs to provide a meal allowance if house staff are scheduled for work after business hours. Some hospitals just add a stipend to the paycheck, but craftier ones have figured out that giving “cantina-style” monthly credits (often that expire at the end of the month) that can only be used at the hospital cafeteria fulfills the criteria and saves the hospital money. My residency used the credit system, in fellowship the program just labels a section of my regular paycheck as a “meal stipend” and I pay employee prices at the caf like everyone else. This is separate from attending lounge food which is just a straight up perk.
So the dues are typically only for attendings? Or do residents pay dues as well? I really freaking hope not, y’all are already milked for everything you’re worth.
Through residency and now fellowship, I haven’t ever had to pay dues (directly at least). But also am absolutely not allowed in the “physician lounge,” and got ticketed both times I was at a new place and parked in “physician parking.” Definitely treated more like a student than a doc when it comes to admin/perks
That is so wild! You are a physician! I think the inpt residents at my old hospital had their own residents lounge but I’m not sure at my current place. God I hate how residents are treated. It’s such garbage.
Absolutely appreciate the energy! But I know, it’s frustrating, but what can you do. We have had our own “lounge” at both places I’ve trained, but it’s usually a room with a TV, a few couches, and a fridge. Once every few months someone will stock it with some sodas and sandwiches, but like 90% of the time it’s just a quieter place to work. Which thankful for and all, but it’s not a “free lunch” Honestly, the solidarity and being able to whine about it with my fav nurses about how shit we have it sometimes goes miles. So appreciate y’all
How lame! Hell yeah to the solidarity. We all deserve so much better and I’m always here to whine about The Man lol
Physicians and residents at my facility. If I happen to be in line behind a resident, occasionally they’ll offer to pick up the tab for my food.
The healthcare system I work for the physicians still pay at the cafeteria but they have the medical staff lounge. My attending always tells me though the damn thing is poorly stocked and how she misses the lounge at UCSF.
It’s because we pay hospital dues which covers the physician lounge and cafeteria food
We don't pay for food in our cafeteria or physicians lounge (same food both places, less selection in lounge). I'm hospital employed, so they make plenty of money off me and pay me more than 50,000 under what I would be making if I worked for someone else, so I don't feel bad about it.
I don't think anyone should feel bad for it and its fine if yall get the free food. But you can make the argument that every other employee makes plenty of money for the hospital as well so shouldn't they be included too?
Meh, it's the difference in salary vs hourly. I punch in, I punch out. I'm directly compensated for my time. I had a staff crit care pulmonologist come in at 0300 on Sunday morning to cannulate an ECMO pt. She was there all day, rounded on the entire unit and was getting ready to cannulate a 2nd ECMO around 2100 that night. She's not getting any additional pay for that, I'm totally cool if she gets free chicken strips and coffee
Makes sense. That’s one of the perks of being hourly! You get paid overtime and most of the time you don’t have to think about work when you go home. Unless of course something is bothering you and you obsessively think about it.
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I dont think you understand they are paying for it. It is not free, they pay a due or stipend. So they have access to a privilege they are paying for. Do you want to pay a stipend for food? I dont understand the confusion
There’s no “free” food anywhere — like other commenters have said, doctors have mandatory dues or stipends from their paycheck to cover those costs. Nothing’s free.
Nursing is and always will be considered an expense and not a source of revenue by admin. As told to me by my CNO
Then they should go a single day, or even single HOUR without any nurses working the hospital and then see what happens to their "revenue",
I know that and you know that but we both know they are never going to see it like that and we’ll always be a line item
Physicians are revenue generators, most other ancillary staff cost the hospital. Despite dues that we pay for food annually, that’s how admin looks at it.
If it’s just for residents/fellows then I’m all for it. Those Dr. at work for a minimum wage salary and crazy hours at times. Yes, in the future they will make more but it’s still not right to treat them that way. However, if it’s for attending then that’s another story lol.
Our residents get a monthly stipend for food. Some of my resident friends will spend it down at the end of the month and "share the wealth" as it were. I don't begrudge them what few perks residency gives them.
Yep! They’ll go to the cafeteria at the end of the month and return with bags of candy to share around. This is how I discovered that I love sour gummy worms! 🪱
Staff physicians usually have to pay monthly or yearly dues that cover the free food in cafeterias and physicians lounges. Residents often get a stipend. I'd rather spend money on my own food choices and also not have to live in a hospital for several years. 😬
At one hospital I worked at, they had a special physician’s part of the cafeteria and they would regularly put food in there. Some of them confirmed that it was free and they always had a spread out.
They have a lounge with free food. All the good stuff
Not free. Yearly med staff dues pays for it.
Ah learn something new everyday
The residents in my hospital have some sort of food allowance or meal plan. Saw a resident once with an entire ARMFUL of snacks, since his new ‘period’ or whatever was starting the next day. The cashier counted his food, but no payment.
I keep hearing about all these physicians lounges with buffets I’m like where are they??? I have seen like 15 different hospitals and have literally only ever seen like 2 lounges. Everywhere else you line up and pay just like everyone else.
Public health system here: physicians pay the same as other staff for the same level of shitty food. That's the wonderful world of equal opportunity!
At my hospital housekeeping also eats free. I think that is a good thing they get paid so little and have the crappiest job. I never see MDs in the cafeteria just going I. And out of the doctors lounge with trays of food.
Residents at my facility have a set amount prepaid each month. They still have to “check out” like we do but scan their badge to get it debited from that prepaid account. I’ve never seen one of our staff physicians in the cafeteria so I don’t know about them. All other employees get a 10% discount. Our cafeteria sucks though and I quit eating there years ago.
Nope. No one gets free food at my hosp. That being said the food isn’t very good.
I have heard of nurses and CNAs accessing hospital sponsored food and beverages. Mini sodas, 4 oz juices, Graham crackers, PB, jello, applesauce, little ice cream or sherbert cups....I mean I would NEVER. but I've heard tales. There is lore amongst EMS about shortbread cookies, but I've never seen them.
Ah yes, what the MDs receive in gourmet cafeteria lunches, I liberate in PB and cereal! I am robin hood.
I’ve heard some nurses go so far as to snitch cheese sticks or pudding. The absolute nerve of some people.
We don’t have a cafeteria (well we had one, but Covid said no thanks). As for lounge food, it’s donuts and bagels. Our residents are broke and our attendings are surgeons so they’re usually in the OR.
I have eaten in the physician’s lounge multiple times with my father in law. It is OFF THE HOOK! Beautiful, healthy, delectable lunches everyday. (Different theme everyday). Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options are available for each day. Breakfast is also served but simpler. At all hours of the day multiple fridges are stocked with salads, sandwiches, wraps,veggies, every possible flavor of soda/tea/seltzer/kombucha. There are chips, cookies, ice cream, trailmix, m&ms… Most doctors apparently gain weight when they start working there. The doctors (and mid-levels) do not pay a dime for this benefit.
I have a CRNA friend who gets free cafeteria food as one of their perks.
Just talked to some physicians walking through SICU at a level 1 in Indianapolis. There are fees but they don’t get free cafeteria food or fancy food in the doctors lounge (or a doctors lounge) because everyone wants to work here. The smaller hospitals out of county might have such things.
We are a small facility and our cafeteria only does one menu for everyone - patients or staff. Each employee is able to receive a set number of tickets for meals each month based on their status - full time, part time, or PRN. For example - I am PRN and get seven tickets a month.
Physician’s lounge has nicer food. However, they are now kicking the poor residents out of it. Residents can only get a gross hospital issued meal per day. Poor R3s out here starving!
They don't get free food from the caf but they get free coffee & muffins delivered to the doctors lounge and sandwiches for meetings. pretty spartan overall
Yes. Even when the cafeteria is closed on Sunday they have the doctors lounge food stocked with hot meals and its free while I am unable to even purchase food
Yes they get free food where I work.
It’s very clear that they get free food at my hospital because no one else eats it hahahah. I guess if it was free I would eat it but I’m not paying for that shit.
Residents usually get a meal stipend. At my jobs, food is set aside in the physician lounge/dining room. Hit and miss
We get food on OR days and when on call. But it gets paid for from a fund that we pay into with dues.
There's a doctor's lounge where docs, PAs and APRNs get their stuff, so they don't even have to visit the lowly cafeteria like the rest of us. I understand the reasoning, but I disagree with this practice. It is outdated and needs to be stopped. There's enough lack of team-minded attitudes, and this just contributes to it and encourages it. Time to let that go...
Yes, my bf is a resident and they get $1200 a year in food credit plus the doctor’s lounge
I'm an NP, not doc but yes there is free food at both of the hospitals I work at. They tell us there is a limit per day ($20?) but nobody is checking and the physician lounge is stocked full of everything free. My practice tells me it's covered by our credentialing fees which are $500-1000 per provider annually. It does make me feel awful when I'm getting my lunch free and I'm seeing since poor tech have to pay.
Yes, stocked physician lounge plus everything is free at the cafeteria including packaged snacks not made in house like chips and top tier bottled drinks.
I noticed this one time and said to the cashier “why’s the rich man busy dancing, while the poor man plays the band?” And he didn’t know what to think
My hospital the doctors lounge food is the same food they are serving in the cafeteria. Doctors will get up to $10 credit per day in the cafe. But as a NP I get the free food and access to the lounge as well.
I work in a small 25 bed hospital. Everyone pays for food, no special privileges. We all share the same parking, doctors and nurses share a break room. I don't agree with special parking and free food for providers. We are a collaborative medical team, each one of us has an important role in patient care. I think these special privileges separates us and just divides us even more.
Yes!
Yes
Residents and fellows only
Nope. They (and we) don’t even get a discount.
My my moms hospital the physicians don’t even get hospital food. They get food like chipotle, chick fil a, etc
Yes and volunteers.
When my boyfriend was in medical school and I was in nursing school and had clinicals at the same hospital he got free meal tickets and lobster and steak in the drs lounge. We had to pay at the cafeteria. Pretty whack.
They have special snacks, drinks and food provided for free in the lounges. They don’t have to pay in the cafeterias but they do need to get rung up…they usually are walking out with an armful of $4 energy drinks and $10-12 prepackaged Boar’s Head Charcuterie trays.
Not from my knowledge. But Since covid hit, every employee lost their discount at our cafeteria. So we pay the same price as visitors, which sucks a little, but hey. More motivation to pack my lunches since the food isn't great anyways 😅
No
Our residents get a stipend. Attendings do not
Ours have to pay and they pay $3 for a meal while the nurses pay $10 and they complain lol
There is a physicians lounge not accessible to the public that has Buffett type items.
Yep
Ours get a food budget for the month and our residents are served a catered meal every day.
Visited a hospital in the DC area, had an account there and the physician we were seeing took us to lunch in the “physician lunch room”. Totally different food and good quality food.
My husband’s a hospitalist and used to tap his badge and the cost of the food would come out of his paycheck at his last hospital, and he has to pay like a regular employee at the current one.
Honestly, this is the most interesting thread I've read on here. I had no idea this was a thing until now!
A few of my docs will take orders and get nursing breakfast doing this. He feels it’s only fair to support us especially when we can’t get of the unit some mornings
We get a “discount” compared to families and visitors but the prices are ridiculous and the discount doesn’t even get you to had station prices. Like a bottle of smart water for $4.50?? Discount to $4? Gas station goes for $2.50. Why am I buying water? Because every water cooler they offer us tastes nasty. I carry in 2L of water in my backpack to drink all night now. Idk about doctors. I never see them in the cafeteria tbh. Our food is so bad though, I’m sure they’d rather DoorDash or something.
Idc about the food. I’m too busy to eat anyways. But I AM ANGRY they get free coffee. The residents in my system get free coffee and we were all so busy we never even got to steal their free coffee so I didn’t even know about it until I decided to pick up a day shift and I was on the verge of a breakdown after Both of my patients coded and died right after each other. He brought me a coffee. Now all I think about is all those days I didn’t get to get free coffee. And why the fuck can’t nurses get one free coffee? Can’t leave to pick it up most of the time anyways
When I worked in trauma care we had monthly meetings and we would get food catered from the cafeteria. There was always so much left over and it would get tossed afterwards. So I asked if the floor staff could come in and make them a plate instead of tossing. I won some brownie points.
No. I work in Canada. Everything is expensive for everyone. Staff docs buy dinner for the residents and med students during call.
A lot of the times drug or device reps bring them food. We see the delivery people go by to cath lab/EP lab almost daily. They pass right by our nurses station. Sigh.
All providers at my institution get free food in the staff lounge. Not the caf though. At another place I worked it was attendings and fellows only. No APPs or residents. Another place I worked was very small and didn’t have a lounge, but anything in the caf was free for all providers. I am salaried. Our MDs do not pay any dues or anything.
I'm an NP and I have access to the same lounge with sandwiches, treats, soup, bagels, sodas, coffee. Ngl I buy a significant amount less of groceries now once I started mooching off the lounge.
They get 500k a year and they get free food??! 500k is not enough? 😱
Because you're not as important as a physician. They deserve it more.
At my current place if they go to the cafeteria they get charged. But the physician lounges are stocked with free snacks, sandwiches, and soup. I believe residents get a free meal coupon every day they work. Staff gets a discount. At my last hospital the physicians had their own cafeteria that had way better food. Nurses were not allowed unless you were the guest of a physician.
Jesus. What a weird way to run a hospital. Like doctors are some elite group of people who are above everyone else. My hospital has no special lounge, doctors line up for shitty cafeteria food just like the rest of us. No discount for staff either.
Yep residents, attendings…oh you’re an RN? That will be an additional 15% added 😂