Bathroom? What's a bathroom ... ???

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Oh, what I'd give for 10 minutes of quiet solitude in a bathroom during a shift as a Nurse. I thought all Nurses were immune to bladder issues. It's taught in Nursing school, right? Nursing 101: How to keep your bladder from exploding for 12-16 hours while at work. Is this you?

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I make time to use the bathroom and eat because, as self-absorbed as this may seem, I am the number one priority in my life. Therefore, I am upholding my end of the unwritten social contract by meeting my own needs before attending to others.

Unwritten Social Contract: Your Needs Come First!

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I'm an adult. I take the time to go to the bathroom. I don't care how busy you are, take care of yourself first.

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Specializes in CVICU.

Yep, prioritize better. Not peeing all shift makes more of a statement of one's ability to complete task effectively.

4-5 hours is common…but all shift?

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We carried phones the patient could call. I was on the john when my patient called (a completely alert man my own age) and forgot to END the call on my side, which then provided his whole room, via the intercom, the entertaining sounds I made while 'finishing' my pee, re-robing, muttering to myself god knows what while washing my hands. I could HEAR myself walking down the hall from his room, all the crap banging around the phone in my pocket. I almost didn't go in the room I was so embarrassed. He was grinning when I walked in, and thankfully, he was alone.

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I suspect my BUN has been critical for years.

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Nothing like a rapid response midstream.:yes:

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

The worst feeling in the world is holding in a bowel movement during med pass. I have had this issue frequently, never have to go before I start, and would love to change my pattern so that I can take care of that before shift lol. TMI I know but you all are nurses, so whatever ;)

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I think it's a little ridiculous when I read posts here where other nurses say they don't pee all shift. It takes one minute. Go pee. Come on. If there's ever a nursing job I have where I can take a few minutes to go to the bathroom...I'll. Find a new job. What are you gonna do, not go all day? (Btw I am an RN now I just haven't changed my username)

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Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.
I used to wish I could just insert a Foley and be done with it. But over time I developed "nurse's bladder" and now the thing's as big as a Winnebago's gas tank. I can hold it all day and half the night. I also tend to have UTI's. Can't imagine why. LOL

One day I will do research on the rate of UTIs among nurses and the correlation to other components of their jobs. For example, census, staffing, acuity of patients, ability to take breaks, coffee/water ingestion, and type of work.

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Just go pee already.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I really don't find this funny. I think anything portraying nurses not getting bathroom breaks as the norm is damaging. The more we normalize it, the more people take it as acceptble, and it's not. I go to the bathroom when I need to at work. Unless someone is coding, it can wait.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.
I really don't find this funny. I think anything portraying nurses not getting bathroom breaks as the norm is damaging. The more we normalize it, the more people take it as acceptble, and it's not. I go to the bathroom when I need to at work. Unless someone is coding, it can wait.

You and I are in full agreement on this one, as my previous post indicated. Well said.

Catmom :paw:

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