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

CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2007

I've thought about solutions to this dilemma of having to break the rules by sneaking food or bottles of water, hiding them behind my computer monitor is handy but not entirely perfect, for if I can't see the food I'm not reminded of the importance of eating during my shift! LOL

You know those cammel packs so often sported by keen mountain bicyclists on their jaunts that allow for ample liquids to rest on the back? Well that definitely could go over well on our line of work; just enhance the pack with nursing approved all white with a big red cross on the back and a specially designed nozzle that doesn't allow for back flow. Perhaps in the future folks will think of us similar to astronauts with all of our life sustaining stuff strapped to our person. Only problem is enduring the fatigue when you're weighted down crouching to measure the output of those darn foleys at end of shift!

nightmare, RN · Sep 17, 2007

I was told by my nm that it is either a board of health violation or a jcaho violation. Either way, it stinks and we don't follow it unless surveyors are around.

Next time surveyors are in ,take it turns to pass out theatrically whenever you see a surveyor!and complain loadly about dehydration.

agent66 · Sep 17, 2007

In our hospital as well it is not allowed, mainly because of the health risks as per Infection control policies. And to be truthful i would not want to have my food or drinks anywhere near the nursing station desk tops or on top of the med carts where patients passing by might get at them. Plus as we all know the nursing station is not exactly the cleanest place to begin with, I have never seen housekeeping come by and clean the counter tops on night shift when I work. We have a lounge for breaks, and a small room off the station where we are permitted to go have a cup of tea, or whatever , and take our charts if needed so is not so bad. My big issue is the lack of available hot food on nightshift, when cafeteria closes early and vending machines are broken half the time. It is always when I have been in a hurry and forgotten my lunch bag that this seems to happen. :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2007

I see some have already referred to JCAHO rules. Our facility has had these rules in place for several years. We can have it in our conference room, but nothing at the nurses desk or anywhere in hallways or work surfaces. Its only safe practice. I wouldnt want to open even a bottle of water and drink from it if it had been near where a patients germs have hovered.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2007

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: germs are wee, tiny little things. How could anything so small possibly harm a big, strong nurse?

One of the great things about night shift is the general lack of supervision and subsequent flaunting of rules. One of the objections we heard was that it doesn't look very professional to see a nurse scarfing down peanut butter and crackers at the workstation. I reiterate my position on a different thread: nursing is a human endeavor, and we shouldn't apologize for being human. And yes, the germ situation was mentioned. Most of us take our chances.

RNforhire07 · Sep 17, 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!

That is actually an OSHA policy, I do believe. I know at my place we are not supposed to have any food or drink in the patient care areas and that includes the nurses station......they don't really enforce it though. We only hide our drinks/food if the DON, CEO or Chief Dr is around as they are all sticklers for that rule. And of course we hide stuff if the Dept of Health or JCAHO is around as well.

RN1989 · Sep 17, 2007

It is a Federal OSHA violation as well as most states Dept of Health. Yes it sucks. You wouldn't think that the nurse's station is a patient care area but how many times do people put lab specimens on the desk? Do you ALWAYS wash your hands prior to picking up a bottle of soda off the desk? And don't lie! This is also why you should not be putting on lip gloss, messing with contacts/eye drops at the station either. And keeping food in your pocket? Hmmmm - are you certain that you have scrubbed your hands each and every time after you touched a surface and then reached in your pocket for a pen?

Sue Damonas, BSN · Sep 17, 2007

On a unit I used to work on we weren't allowed any drinks either. We were allowed to have drinks in the kitchen but the way the unit was set up it was the whole way at the end of a very long hall. The unit was so hot and a lot of us were almost passing out. We used to hide drinks in the cupboards but one of our coworkers told on each of us and used to throw our drinks out. Glad I don't work there anymore!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 18, 2007

Before I left hospital nursing, JCAHO had just been in and our management lowered the boom on us for keeping food/drinks etc. in the report room. I'd always understood that it looked tacky when we had our sodas in the nurse servers or our doughnuts sitting by the computers in the hall, but the REPORT ROOM?! All we did in there was chart and give report......it was so convenient, as our lounge was all the way at the end of a long hall, and during a busy 12-hour shift there literally was no time to go down there and have an actual meal. So we all kept snacks and drinks in the report room...........and then the word came down from the pooh-bahs in the administration offices two floors above us that we could only eat/drink in the lounge. Not even a bottle of water.

Needless to say, the hypoglycemics among us did not do well. One day I remember as being particularly stressful, I had two fresh post-ops coming as well as an admission, and I felt my blood sugar start to crash just as they were wheeling the admit into the room. Now, if my usual snacks had been where I could've gotten to them, I might have been all right, but there was no chance on Earth that I could get off that floor for even two minutes, so I did my best to soldier on despite the fact that I was becoming more confused and irritable by the moment. Sweat was pouring off me in torrents, I was seeing black spots in front of my eyes, and suddenly I burst into tears and yelled at the ER nurse and the transport team: "Don't you understand, I haven't eaten all day and I'm GOING TO PASS OUT!!"

To say that I was embarrassed by my behavior is an understatement, but I had NO control over it. I didn't pass out, but someone ran and got me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some milk, and after they took effect I apologized to everyone and resumed my appointed rounds. Of course, I was called on the carpet and my rear end handed to me for my 'unprofessional' actions, but afterwards I noticed that the 'suits' sort of looked the other way when the occasional granola bar or soda bottle would find its way into the report room............:uhoh21:

Now, at my assisted living facility I don't allow anything in the med room or hallways except for a covered drink (travel mug or bottle with a lid), but I encourage the staff to take short snack and hydration breaks throughout the day whenever possible. It's only common sense........which is, I fear, what JCAHO and other similar organizations lack. They've been away from 'the floors' so long they have no idea of what the average nurse deals with in an average shift. 'Tis a shame they have so much power over us. :nono:

RNview · Sep 18, 2007

I was told by my nm that it is either a board of health violation or a jcaho violation. Either way, it stinks and we don't follow it unless surveyors are around.

:lol2: Our manager is very strict about it. She throws away every drink she sees at the nurses station even if it is one of the doctors drink. On the weekends, we all have coffee mugs at the station and nobody throws it away. Then comes the week days and we're back to normal. We learned to keep track what day it is so we don't get into trouble. :smilecoffeecup:

Let me clarify it, we use coffee cups with covers (disposable and not) not coffee mugs. ooppss!

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2007

Huh. This explains something I was curious about.

I have never heard anything about food or drink and we all eat and drink at our desks where I am. But no one has a mug - we all use the disposable stuff. Maybe because they know to be able to toss the evidence should Joint Commission come a'callin'.

hikernurse · Sep 18, 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!

Of course with a policy like this, I'm sure your hospital enforces a lunch break (or two if you're working a 12-hour shift) and a couple of mid-breaks in between for eating, yes? :rolleyes: