Break room and refrigerators

Akpywackett · Feb 20, 2009

No. It is this way everywhere and in every profession. Office refrigerators are disgusting and there is nothing to be done but get zen about it.

mcmike55 · Feb 20, 2009

Our fridge and break room also seems to get away from us on regular intervals.

During the evening, housekeeping comes in and does some basic clean up, such as mopping floors, emptying trash, etc.

We ask that everything left in the fridge is marked with the owner's names, and date, which helps some.

A couple of our PCA's (pt care assistants) are very good at watching over the break room and fridge.

Periodically they will go in and clean out the fridge.....things that are expired, been there for a while, unmarked or green and fuzzy are tossed.

Sometimes someone gets upset,,,,but for the most, everyone supports the effort.

If you are planning a major fridge clean out,,,,I would suggest posting a sign saying that on such and such date, the fridge will get emptied. If you have stuff in there, initial it and date it or it's gone!!!!

Give everyone time to comply, then declare martial law, put on your best PPE's and wade it!

Then like, once a month or so, set aside some time, and do it again.

The rest of the break room is, in my mind, a little harder, but team work helps, the more that talk it up, (cleaning) maybe the rest will get on board.

Oh sure, you'll get some complaints, but overall, I bet you'll be happy. (I hope)

Mike

maeyken · Feb 21, 2009

Our housekeeping cleans out the fridges once a month I think. They also do the daily mopping and garbage emptying. Sometimes someone will tidy the old magazines and whatever sitting around, wipe out the microwaves, etc. I dunno about a good way to make people more responsible for themselves though. Some people are just slobs.

Mae

truern · Feb 21, 2009

Anything without a name and date gets tossed!! Nice tupperware containers and all

prmenrs, RN · Feb 21, 2009

My personal pet peeve is when I go to use the microwave to heat water, and the person in there before me cooked FISH!! Like I want my coffee/tea whatever to taste like fish? Not really.

It is a chronic problem, and it seems like the bigger the unit, the less likely it is for anyone to take responsibility---unless it is assigned. So, IMHO, it should be!! Smaller units have better luck w/peer pressure.

Scrubby · Feb 21, 2009

We have two big fridges and there is never enough room for everyone to put their food in. If you work a late then you might as well forget it. Some people will also remove your lunchbox to put their own in as well which is annoying.

We have 3 microwaves which is enough for everyone. Once we had two out for repair and during lunch breaks ppl were not able to heat their lunch because 8 other ppl were waiting ahead of you.

As for cleaning up, well a lot of ppl don't bother cleaning dishes, the sink gets full of dirty dishes. The cleaners have to do it once a day otherwise we'd be knee deep in filth.

Kymmi · Feb 21, 2009

One of my biggest pet peeves is the fridge here at work. I also am what my b/f and mother call obsessive with the fridge at home. I clean my home fridge out daily it seems and everything has a place in the fridge...the eggs go in a certain spot, cheese, condiments, veggies...etc etc all have their "space".

At work I clean the fridge almost every night that I work....it doesnt take long now because I keep it cleaned out. At first I made a few people mad because I threw their stuff away.......funny how no one eats their fuzzy food but when it becomes missing they want it........I have also collected some nice tupperware this way because I figure if Im cleaning the mold out of it then you havent missed it all that much. Now that I've gotten in the habit of cleaning it often and my coworkers know that I do they have become much more responsible with their food because they know when I go on my cleaning binge anything not dated and initaled is no longer tomorrows moldy lunch.

MamaCheese · Feb 21, 2009

Our fridges are cleaned out every sunday by the weekend aide. Any food or partial beverage containers are tossed. This was implemented about 6 months ago. It was a little tricky at first but we all learned pretty quickly to remove our things before the weekend.

ewattsjt · Feb 22, 2009

I have no suggestions. Ours is about the same, when it gets nasty enough someone will go through it. I typically do not use ours because it is always so nasty. I bring a large lunch box and leave it sit in the break room. A couple of us do that.

Our microwave is in about the same condition but people will clean it more often. There are always signs requesting for the people to clean after themselves. Isn’t it odd that our staff has great patient care and an excellent performance in the surgical theater but they struggle with such simple tasks?

I think MamaCheese's facility may have the answer.

nursinadream · Feb 22, 2009

Kymmi, I think we would all like to be your co-worker. Your staff is lucky to have you. I share your obsession, but don't manage to find the time to exercise it while at work. Our housekeepers on weekends get to it sometimes, but I don't think its in their job description, they just do it on their own.

Deb

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Feb 22, 2009

Most places I have worked, it wasn't a problem, but they had the following policy:

1. The refrigerator/freezer is there for daily use, not to bring a week's worth of frozen lunches.

2. Everything had to have a dat/name on it as well as a time. Food was kept for 48 hours and tossed out by housekeeping at the end of that...tupperware and all.

It sounds harsh but sometimes someone would quit and would leave something stinching in the refrigerator for several weeks and no one wants to clean that up, or put your food into a fridge that smells like something died.