Why coffee with every meal?

Nurses General Nursing

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What is it with the hospital obsession with coffee? My patients seem to get it with every meal. I wonder, at what point in the day do they switch to decaf? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it's coffee, coffee, coffee, and lousy coffee at that. The last place I worked was the same.

Blah!:down:

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

That's interesting how many drink coffee all day long. I love coffee, specifically lattes, but I limit myself to one or two a day, and never late in the afternoon.

Specializes in LTC, Disease Management, smoking Cessati.
What is it with the hospital obsession with coffee? My patients seem to get it with every meal. I wonder, at what point in the day do they switch to decaf? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it's coffee, coffee, coffee, and lousy coffee at that. The last place I worked was the same.

Blah!:down:

For most of us older generation, coffee is just another "staple" of our diet. We would have the pot going all day. That's just the way it was and is. Why does it bother you so much? People are different and have different customs, wants and desires. If they ask for coffee at dinner why should they not have it? We all need to be sensitive to different ways of different people. Just because you never had it at your house doesn't mean it isn't OK.

:) Now where's my coffee cup! :wink2:

Do people really drink coffee at every meal? I can see breakfast, but dinner? How many people drink coffee at dinner? Anyone?

I drink coffee in the morning and after dinner.... but it's a cultural/social thing for my family. I can drink a whole cup of espresso right before bed and still get some sleep. :D

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Er Ruthie, you're only 5 years older than me and I was not aware of anyone serving coffee at the dinner table. Where No, it doesn't bother me if people choose it, although I think they're pretty much sending it up with everyone. That was my assumption, at least, since I've never seen people drink coffee at dinner in real life, unless they want to stay up, or are driving.

Never question the beautiful, beautiful brown brew that keeps some of us alive.:bowingpur

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
I drink coffee in the morning and after dinner.... but it's a cultural/social thing for my family. I can drink a whole cup of espresso right before bed and still get some sleep. :D

Interesting. I guess I've been living on a different planet. I'm from the west coast. I do have a $500 espesso machine. I make my daughters lattes almost every morning.

In the Uk hot drinks with every meals in hospital is the norm tough tea is more common. Nursing staff do a tea trolley round(the trolley also has coffee, beef tea, malte milk drink. hot choclate and instant soup.

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

That's a nice system, to have a cart with all the choices. Rather like a flight attendent brings around the drink cart!

Specializes in Oncology.

I thought hospitals only served decaff coffee?

My mom drinks coffee with every meal, and my dad needs a cup o' joe before bed.

I personally love coffee.

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Serving only decaf would cause a lot of headaches. Bad idea.

in my hopsital patient meals come to the ward in a heated trolley kida like a catefia and the nurses serve the portions onto plates

Specializes in Pediatrics.

My mom drinks coffee all day long, with meals and without; always has since I can remember :) My dad never does, or any kind of soda/other caffeinated beverage either. I guess it's just personal preference, but it doesn't seem weird to me either way. Personally I don't really like the taste of coffee, but the past few years working night shift I've gotten into drinking Coke quite a bit more than I ever did before.

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