ANGRY! There's no place to eat or drink 'round here!

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Sep 23, 2007

I like those new little half-pint water bottles that they have out now. They just fit into a cargo pants pocket. Probably could slide a granola bar in there too.

http://www.aviatorscrubs.com/aviator/agora.cgi?cart_id=3184286.28819*9o0ee7&xm=on&product=Aviator-Pants

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 23, 2007

I don't mean to pick on you, but............................Why in the world did you apologize?
This wasn't your lack of professionalism, but lack of professionalism by your supervisors and management. Management is a profession, and it should be held to standards of conduct as well.
I'm glad you have a better situation now, and your treatment of your nurses is just what our profession needs.

I can get away with treating my staff like human beings only because I work in a small assisted living facility that isn't subject to JCAHO's 'majoring in the minors' way of doing things.

As for the apology: I was embarrassed about my out-of-control behavior in front of the patient..........not to mention the ER nurse I yelled at, the patient in the other bed, and no doubt the patients five rooms down the hall in either direction! And of course, if I hadn't apologized, my AD would certainly have made sure I lived to regret it.

It's funny how the passage of time and getting away from the situation can change one's take on things---it's been several years since that incident, I no longer work at that hospital, and I'm on the other side of the desk now as a manager myself. And I find that I spend a lot of time walking a tightrope at work, trying to keep the right balance between being a boss and being able to put myself in the worker's shoes. There are times I have to enforce rules that I think are wrong---drug testing comes to mind here---and times I have to stand with the company against something the staff wants, even though in my heart I agree with them.

So I know a little more about the management perspective.........you've heard the expression "It's lonely at the top"? Well, it isn't as easy as it looks, and contrary to popular belief, nurse-managers do NOT sit behind a desk thinking up busywork for staff to do. We're too busy trying to keep our own butts out of a sling.

NursShar1 · Sep 23, 2007

The Joint Commission says that you cannot eat or drink in patient care areas. I have a simple suggestion for management.... consider the nursing desks NON patient care areas and ban personnel from taking labs or any other patient care items to the desk. We have alcohol on every wall to rub our hands with - do they think our hands are any more clean when we go the 1/2 a football field to eat in the break room than if we snack right there at the desk? In the words of Carlos Mencia, "duh-duh-duhhhh".

I have an insulated cooler bag the size of a small tote bag. I have to eat every 2-4 hours (just snacks - fruit, yogurt, peanut butter and celery) or I get the jitters. I also have to stay hydrated. I work in a busy children's ER and would NEVER get into the break room, even to pee! I just keep that tote bag with me at the station and sneak into it when I need a snack. If I take some food out of the bag, I walk down the hall while eating it - that is not a patient care area, haha!

The US government food pyramid even recommends 6 small meals a day now. When we work nights, typically for me I get one meal before work. The other 5 usually have to take place at work. We need to start standing up for our right to be nourished and hydrated in order to give effective patient care!

David Offenbaker, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2007

My place of work claims it's a JHACO rule that no food and drinks are in the food area, yet I see it at other hospitals.

cheerma · Sep 23, 2007

My hospital has addopted a policy of No iota of food at or near one's work station. The rule is that all of your drinks (including bottled water) and all of any snacks are to be held in the lounge and never ever be near your area of work. Not even an innocent package of gum!
I agreee, having food in the hallway on counters left behind by staff from the last shift is troublesome and a nuissance when you have to spend time cleaning up other's messes. However, when the lounge is located 1/2 a football field's length from your patient's rooms, it's really quite inhumane to ask anyone to chase back and forth after an energy drink and take care of 5 patients all at the same time.
So that's basically my gripe! Not being allowed to have food or drink near your area of work!
I'll admit I've been known to hide my coffee now and then!

I do agree that food on pull downs and scattered about the nsg station is tacky. I do believe, however, it is the responsibility of the manager to make sure that his/her staff are provided breaks and lunches, away from the work area as (12)hrs is a long shift.

1bigmedicRN · Sep 25, 2007

Yes, while it is a JHACO ( :devil: ) requirement it is also an OSHA ( :devil: ) requirement that food items be away from patient care areas. The frustrating part is.... are we not feeding pt's in their rooms after we do say an arterial line? I know it is frustating to hide food and drinks, we have to do it, and with that said we have an infection control doctor who comes in checks the drawers and throws stuff away if found. And if you think that is frustration it is an OSHA no-no :nono: to have food or drink anywhere inside an ambulance. But like the ambulance and in pt care areas in the hospital if OSHA (state or federal) if you are caught the facility you work for and/or you can be fined anywhere from $7,500 to $75,000 (depending on the number of violations). I believe that is what I am most concerned with. :sofahider

And remember to be careful out there (Hill Street Blues) because we are all in this together (Red Green Show)

Jon

Hoozdo, ADN · Sep 25, 2007

Yes, while it is a JHACO () requirement it is also an OSHA () requirement that food items be away from patient care areas.
quote]
Oddly conspicuous that JHACO and OSHA do not have specific rules about lifting patients in hospitals and protecting our backs. OSHA thinks it is perfectly OK for 2 RNs to reposition a 500 lb pt Q2hrs. There are OSHA requirements for CNAs and nursing homes, but none for nurses and hospitals.
Something that makes you go hmmmmmmmmmm.................
OK, I will put away my water if you pass a law concerning ergonomics and back safety for nurses.:trout:

withasmilelpn · Sep 25, 2007

If they are truly all about infection control, why don't they enforce healthcare workers right to call out sick?

loricatus · Sep 26, 2007

Yes, while it is a JHACO () requirement it is also an OSHA () requirement that food items be away from patient care areas.
quote]
Oddly conspicuous that JHACO and OSHA do not have specific rules about lifting patients in hospitals and protecting our backs. OSHA thinks it is perfectly OK for 2 RNs to reposition a 500 lb pt Q2hrs. There are OSHA requirements for CNAs and nursing homes, but none for nurses and hospitals.
Something that makes you go hmmmmmmmmmm.................
OK, I will put away my water if you pass a law concerning ergonomics and back safety for nurses.:trout:
:yelclap::yelclap::yelclap::yelclap:

doe9181 · Oct 11, 2007

I was floating today and we had a JCAHO visit. One of the inspectors put his coffee down by the sink to wash his hands, I flew in and dumped that coffee in the trash, pretending not to know who that person was at the sink & ran away as fast as I could. I just couldn't help it since I was dying of thirst and he had the nerve to be walking around with a container of coffee. Don't think he ever found out who did it & I really don't care if I get in trouble for it. You should have seen all the ***kissing they were getting from management-I was getting quite sick watching it.

I can't stop laughing!!! That is soo awesome that you did that. A little taste of their own medicine perhaps? I would've paid a lot of money to see the look on that guy's face. Priceless! :devil: :lol2: :rotfl: :yeah:

David Offenbaker, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2007

Explain this one to me.

According to policy, JCAHO says no food of drink in the nurses station. Well, last week we had this little thing at our hospital called "I Love Legibility", where two nurses come around with doctor's orders and see if you're able to read it. Here's the kicker, the prizes are cookies! Not in a wrapper, just out of a box. They handed them out right there in the station. I was floored and no one else seemed to put 2 and 2 together.

Strange! :uhoh3:

not now, RN · Oct 12, 2007

Or the wound vac reps who give us candy at the station while the supervisor watches. We have been told the rule is to protect us and the computers if something is knocked over.

I take my Sigg bottle and put it behind the desktop screen. It's not gonna leak even if it gets tipped over. Heck, it could roll off the desk and still not break. I'm not gonna mistake a cup of pee for my beverage. No one is gonna mistake it for something they can put a specimen in.