Basic neccessities...

mattsmom81 · Jul 20, 2002

There's a certain area on all floors of our hospital (southwest corner) that NEVER has hot water. Too much adding on and not enough water heaters.

The hospital refuses to redo any plumbing or add extra water heaters....so we have to steal hot water and run with our pans of hot water to those areas.....we see nurses and CNA's trotting up and down the halls sloshing water everywhere. And we always seem to pass JCAHO. :rolleyes:

jevans · Jul 20, 2002

I Have to sat it is a simular problem in my hospital. Lots of enquiry informs me that cos its an old building--------- Yack yack blad deeblarr ETC

WHAT DO YOU EXSPECT?

how about desent facillities for my patients!!!!!!!!!!!!

edited for spelling [hope I caught them all!]

live4today, RN · Jul 20, 2002

I have a solution to getting hot water in your hospital, KristiWhite :idea: Let all the Moms know that their newborns are being bathed in COLD WATER because the hospital is refusing to have running hot water. Now.....if THAT trick doesn't start the hot water running, nothing will! :roftl: :rotfl: :lol2:

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jul 20, 2002

Well, here's your option if you aren't getting anywhere with the facility. You have a right to speak with the JCAHO surveyors about anything you believe is negatively affecting quality of care. The facility I work at had those notices posted all over the place for patients and staff. You have to send written notice to JCAHO x amount of time before the survey. Don't know if it's supposed to be confidential of not, but you can say something.

Can't believe they purposely keep the hot water turned off. The sadists need to have to take a shower there in the morning...

jevans · Jul 20, 2002

Sorry sould have said that I work in rehab. In support of senior management - we do actually inhabit a very old building [ approx 60 odd years]BUT THAT DOES NOT HELP MY PATIENTS

fedupnurse · Jul 20, 2002

I'd call JCAHO, State DOH, Town Board of health, the local newspaper, EVERYBODY!!! In my facility it does take a while for the water to get hot, especially in the winter (well when w have one anyway). Funny thing is, we were under a drought warning (after 3 plus inches of rain yesterday alone, I think we are outta he woods) and we had to run the water for 10 minutes to get it really warm for patient baths. Why on earth did te hospital turn off your hot water? It almost sounds like one of the scummy landlord deals where they let the tenants go without basic necessities!

Pick up that phone and start dialing STAT!

Good luck!

Robin61970 · Jul 21, 2002

I can't believe that this is allowed.......those poor babies.......I would raise hell......anonymous phone calls to TV stations.....whatever it takes....

RNConnieF · Jul 21, 2002

Hey, My house is 120 years old and I have hot water in all taps (well most of the time any way, unless one of the teenagers was in the shower)

boggle, ASN, RN · Jul 21, 2002

Very interesting to read your thread KristiWhite!!, and all the comments that have been added!! I had no idea this happened anywhere else!!

Not too long ago, I went to care for a family member in a hospital I don't work at , (won't name names but it's in a capitol city) . The water out of the tap in the patient's bathroom was nowhere near warm. The staff suggested I fill the bath basin from a tap in the dirty utility room, the only place where there was warm water. So I did,.. several times.

Can you imagine how many nurses/ techs would really bother or have time to do this? Can you imagine all the water slopped on the hallway floors if everyone did this? I'm guessing many baths were really cool water washups there.

Made me think twice about how special big city hospitals are.

Robin61970 · Jul 21, 2002

I am still in disbelief over this......I couldn't do that to those poor babies.........

NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2002

To clarify, I (I only speak for myself, mind you...) have been microwaving cold tap water, letting it cool down a bit, and using that for bathing. I think it's working against some basic principles here. There is bottled, sterile water that is warmed, but it is not always available, and this seems expensive and wasteful to me. I always like to hear from you guys- you're my sounding board. ;>)

futureccrn · Jul 21, 2002

I say make a phone call to JCAHO yourself! This seems like cruel and unusual punishment. You work in a NICU right? Seems to me that the preemies could be negatively affected by cold water for bathing.

The hospital where I work has running hot water but we use those disposable bathing cloths, They're OK for wiping up stool but in my opinion nothing compares to good old soap and water for bathing. If it were me getting the bath, I wouldn't feel clean with just a cloth bath.