Bathroom Inservicing

tntrn, ASN, RN · Nov 28, 2008

Is it common practice for your hospital to post clinical educational materials in the bathroom across from the toilet? How about pie charts and graphs representing your unit's "weak" areas that need improvement?
I am employed at two hospitals and they both use this method to inform and enlighten their "captive" audience.
I nicely asked one of my NM to reconsider this style of teaching. I nicely told her I found it offensive and unprofessional. She smiled, nodded and nothing changed.
Am I off base to feel offended by these postings?

We get that too. In ours, it includes the signup sheet for holiday shifts, mandatory inservices and staff meeting time. I tend to be of the thought that my BR time is mine. Maybe I choose to read what's on the wall and maybe I don't. In any case, I don't think they can hold me to it.

I agree that it's unprofessional and infringes upon my private time.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2008

Our facility used to do this. I didn't mind. Some of the information was incredibly useful, and I would not have taken the time to look at it otherwise.

casperx875x · Nov 28, 2008

Yes, I see this where I work, too. Another popular place is the surrounding area of where we swipe in and out. I don't pay much attention to the stuff in the bathroom. Occasionally I'll look at the stuff around the Kronos machine.

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Nov 28, 2008

May facilities here have areas beside the time clock, in the break room for info they feel the staff needs. But there is always info in the bathroom. Like the NM said, not everyone spends time in the break room, or by the time clock...but every one of the staff goes to the BR during a shift. I read what I want to read and ignore the rest. No big deal. Sort of like life, do the best and ignore the rest.

RN1982 · Nov 28, 2008

I don't mind. It's just something to read if I'm going to be in the bathroom for an extended period of time.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Nov 28, 2008

We have educational posters in our bathrooms, too. It's OK, it passes the time while you're......well.........taking care of business. There are also 'funnies' posted in there too, and once in a blue moon they even change 'em. It's better than staring at the wall.

lsyorke, RN · Nov 28, 2008

LOL! It's where I do my best thinking!!! Offensive...nah, it's a location where people actually see them. This location has been a favorite in every hospital I've worked at.

Keepstanding, ASN, RN · Nov 28, 2008

it's okay providing that you get a pee break !

Murse901, MSN, RN · Nov 28, 2008

I don't really see how this is "offensive". If you want to get technical, your bathroom break isn't your me-time, unless you're on your actual 15 or 30-minute break. In either case, it's not like the staff development/unit educator person is coming into the stall with you to do an in-service while you're out of service.

I haven't seen it anywhere I've worked yet, but it sounds like a good idea for nonessential in-services/FYI kind of stuff. As for sign-in sheets in the bathroom, I would have a problem with that just because I know not everyone washes their hands when they pee, and I don't want to touch a piece of paper with pee particles all over it.

soulofme · Nov 29, 2008

And if ya run out of TP, ya got extra on the walls.....

bethin · Nov 29, 2008

We have that too. We used to have funnies posted too but management decided that laughing while peeing is a no-no. They also used to have a LARGE poster of a man pointing his finger at with the words "I want YOU to wash your hands!". I tore that sucker down. Made me nervous.

I don't mind that that kind of stuff is up. I'm in too much of a rush to read memos while going to the bathroom.