CRNAs and bathroom breaks...

[feelnopain]

hello, all,

i was wondering if CRNAs get bathroom breaks. what do you do when you need to go to the bathroom?

how long is the average procedure and do you have time to go to the bathroom in between procedures? and again, what if you are IN a procedure and need to go? is there any kind of relief you can call?

i also wonder about bathroom breaks for all kinds of nursing, so all please feel free to comment, but i am especially interested in CRNAs and their experience.

thank you So much in advance! :)

[foraneman]

Thanks for your post, foraneman. I appreciate the reassurance...I was starting to get a little worried about this thread.

So was I.

[Spiderella]

Whoa...that totally freaked me out too! Thanks for keeping it real foraneman!

[japaho41]

While mildly entertaining, none of what you say is true (I can only hope you were being funny). No anesthesia providers, CRNA or otherwise, wear 'depends' to compensate for a lack of bathroom breaks as some sort of trade secret. We are not animals. Depending on the work setting, breaks are most frequently built into the schedule. For example in any larger facility a CRNA is SCHEDULED as the break/lunch person who rotaes through and relieves rooms. If there are anesthesiologists covering, say 4 CRNA rooms then the CRNA will call him/her should the need to relieve be urgent (it is like pulling teeth but when you gotta go you gotta go). In settings where you may be the sole provider or where there are few providers and each covers a room, you of course try and go between cases...but you don't stand at the head of the bed and sh*t your pants. you gotta go, then you gotta go...put the patient on 'auto pilot, let the circulator know you will be out for a minute so they can watch the monitors and you do what you have to. Neve in 21 years have I ever heard this depends/sevo baloney. Anyone who uses bathroom breaks as some sort of leverage against students does not belong teaching them.

Good lord, we are not animals. No CRNA would return for day two if any facility created the environment described here.

I was entertained as well by the open bottle of sevo being used as an airfreshener. I think the best solution to the bathroom dilema is to always go before the case, stay mildly on the dry side meaning don't drink tons of fluids. Page the anesthesiologist stat to the room if you really need to go. I would really, really have to go to leave my patient in the care of any the circulator.

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

I was entertained as well by the open bottle of sevo being used as an airfreshener. I think the best solution to the bathroom dilema is to always go before the case, stay mildly on the dry side meaning don't drink tons of fluids. Page the anesthesiologist stat to the room if you really need to go. I would really, really have to go to leave my patient in the care of any the circulator.

FYI: Not all CRNAs work with anesthesiologists.

[japaho41]

You are exactly right, I guess you better go quickily then.

[mmillcrna]

I completely disagree with the idea of CRNAs not getting breaks. I am a CRNA and yes you get bathroom breaks. You do not have to worry about wearing Depends. Ridiculous and completely false.

[loveanesthesia]

Page the anesthesiologist stat to the room if you really need to go. I would really, really have to go to leave my patient in the care of any the circulator.

Under no circumstances would I leave the patient with a circulator, that's patient abandonment. One of my friends did once, in the middle of the night, ask to have a commode brought into the scrub sink area. She stepped out side the door. We do trauma, and don't have anesthesiologists around.

[remifentanil]

thank you everyone for the great information. at least perhaps i feel better about nursing in general, but perhaps being a CRNA is not for me..lol! thanks again

Not to be mean... but if concerns about bathroom breaks are the reason you do.. or do not pursue this career... I strongly suggest you do not.

[reded]

Then there is the issue of gas! Sitting on the tip of the suction does a remarkable job eliminating the vapors. Have used it many times and I don't even detect it. Ed

[remifentanil]

Then there is the issue of gas! Sitting on the tip of the suction does a remarkable job eliminating the vapors. Have used it many times and I don't even detect it. Ed

You must be a noob... I look over the drapes and ask... '"Jesus... did you yahoos perf the bowel?"

[reded]

Kings County School on Anesthesia for Nurses, Brooklyn New York graduate 1986. If that makes me a "noob" , so be it. In my view that's a lot of gas passing. RedEd

[Giang]

wow, great topic! i hope i can tell you all how i'll be taking my breaks one day :)