Nutrition, Hydration, and Elimination (yours) while on the road...

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

What do you all pack to take on the road and how? I have tried freeing water bottles, but I forget to put them in freezer the day before, or forget to take them with me. I hestitate to accept offers at pt's houses, I'm not ther for a tea party ya know, even tho its very nice that people offer. But I then worry about having to go wee wee wee all the way home too.

Do you keep a cooler, what stays well in a car that is 120 degrees in the shade?? I need something fast, since I am in such a rush in the am, and I can't wake up any earlier than I do already!

As far as elim, I do have some homes and buildings that have nice BR's, but the idea of having to piddle on a raised toilet seat, some covered with yukky stuff, well, I can't do it, think I'd rather use a depends!

How do you guys keep hydrated and noursihed, what is your routine?

Thanks for the ideas.

[nur20]

Can't help Hollahan, I'm still lugging water bottles. I will put them in the fridge at the clients home (with permission , taped up and labelled). But be it cold or warm, it's WET and thats what counts to me. Bite size fruit bowls are handy. Have to keep my chapstck handy.

[cjk02]

I too am bringing several water bottles along with me every day, I also pack a lunch using ice packs to keep things cold. I try to pack things that I know will keep well, like fruits, sandwiches, carrot sticks etc. As far as bathroom usage, you definately figure out which patients bathrooms are acceptable and which are not! Sometimes you get unlucky and have to settle for anything that flushes though!

[live4today, RN]

Hi hoolihan, :)

When I worked Home Health, I would pack bottled water in a small beverage cooler (like the ones people use to pack six packs in???) Those work quite well!

As for having to go potty? Well, I never would use a client's bathroom. Instead, I would make a pit stop at a fast food restaurant or gas station and go potty, wash my hands, take a swig of water, eat and keep truckin'! :)

Snacks to pack: zip-lock bag with dried fruit and nuts in it, the packaged peanut butter or cheese crackers, food bars, mints for the breath, string cheese (put it in the cooler with the bottled water), kid-lunch pacs (put one in the cooler with the bottled water), popcorn (never spoils), rice cakes, orange slices, peaches, tangerines, dried cereal.... If all else fails, stop by your nearest Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop like the policemen do, and chow down on some hot delicious doughnuts. Afterall, with all the running around Home Health Nurses do, one could use a "sugar high" sometimes. :chuckle :kiss

[live4today, RN]

P.S. Raisin and Cinammon bagles are another good food to eat! :)

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

I have a slightly different bent---

I found the 6-pack cooler does work well with a lunchbag size frozen gel pack. Each grocery day the water bottles automatically went in the freezer so I didn't have to remember each day. I also froze Juicy Juice boxes, which would quence my taste for sweets........

In addition, I learned every Fast-food restaurant in my area along with Duncan Donuts (usually very clean). I LOVED it when Checkers hamberger chain moved into Philly as they have drive thru lanes on BOTH sides of the building and I could get in and out quickly. These places are usually safe to park and eat esp in a city environment and often had trees for shade too.

I kept a pack of nuts with me in summertime which made me drink more water as I sweat bullets...needed icey drink to cool me down if very strenuous day...so needed to stop at Fast food place for BR break and cold drink.....now I realize how all those extra pounds occured, LOL.

[Furball]

A HH nurse I know told me a hysterical story about trying to find BR's in a very rural county. She had to go BAD so she stopped on the side of the road and hiked a bit into the woods with a roll of TP she keeps in her car. She says she'd pee in the woods rather than at pts homes anyday! No McDonalds or gas stations in this area. You're stuck. Anyway, in the middle of relieving herself she heard some LOUD russtling behind her. She ended up being chased by a herd of sheep back into her car pants barely up.:roll

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[Brita01]

Chased by a herd of sheep? :chuckle

[prmenrs, RN]

I'm not in your situation, but I would sure get a decent size insulated lunch pack, put snacks of your choice--yogurt, string cheese, hard boiled eggs, frozen water--at least 2--and keep them all cold with a big "blue ice". You can find a lot of this stuff @ a drugstore or grocery store right about now (summer's coming, and there's a lot of picnic stuff out now) or right before school starts.

DEFINITELY get one or more on the blue ice things--they will keep your snacks cold, along with the frozen water.

Get some travel size packets of baby wipes. If you have to use a restroom that is questionable, you can do a little clean-up first. Also helps if there is no paper.

My babysitter used to go to a community college--nasty restrooms, so she wouldn't drink any water. Problem is, she's got wierd kidneys--has had to have 2 lithotripsies already--and she's still very prone to kidney stones. I made her take baby wipes so she could drink water and go potty, and she did much better.

[gillc]

Have spent 17yrs in HH in New Zealand and enjoy hearing about HH in the US. Have same problems here too. I'm rarely organised in the morning either filling my water bottle - can go 6 hrs without fluids, and only if very urgent use patient B/R. Often get back to base and wonder how on earth I'll make it too B/R in time.

[gillc]

Have spent 17yrs in HH in New Zealand and enjoy hearing about HH in the US. Have same problems here too. I'm rarely organised in the morning either filling my water bottle - can go 6 hrs without fluids, and only if very urgent use patient B/R. Often get back to base and wonder how on earth I'll make it too B/R in time.

[dlstovall]

I once had to go so bad I used an out house with NO door! Luckily there were only sheep outside. I hope!