Dispute at work tonight

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. Does JCAHO allow drinks at the nurses station?

    • 10
      Yes-as long as they are dated and covered with a lid
    • 32
      No-it's against their policy
    • 10
      JCAHO doesn't care either way
    • 16
      I don't know

68 members have participated

There's a dispute going on at work tonight, it's kinda silly, but I want to get everyone's thoughts and opinions on the subject.

Is it JCAHO policy that nurses aren't allowed to have drinks at the desks or is it strictly hospital policy?

What is your experience?

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Specializes in LTAC,LTC, Med Surg.

Where I work we can have drinks at the nurses station but it can't be a open drink. It has to have a lid on it.

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We aren't supposed to have drinks, but it's only enforced on environmental rounds day. Those making the rounds always help themselves to our coffee before leaving the floor to return to their Ivory Tower.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

It is not enforced at our hospital unless they are in building. That may change now that they will not be announcing when they will be coming. . . We were told it was a JACHO thing. "No food or drink in 'patient' areas".

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Specializes in ICU.

I nearly voted but saw that the poll had to do with JCAHO We are not allowed - it is an infection control issue not a qualitly assurance issue. They will - grudgingly allow water bottles as long as they are sealed but food and drink - no not in the patient areas.

I did work in one regional hospital where they did allow hot drinks in the patient areas and a nurse managed to spill her hot coffee over the patient (ICU the coffee was on the bedside table) - needless to say that hospitals policy became very strictly enforced.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

We're allowed, as long as it's not sitting near electronic equipment, and the drink is in a covered container or bottle.

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Check and see if it is an OSHA issue.

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Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.

Its funny that you just posted this....in our monthly "clinical notes" that are hospital wide, the first article was about how we are not have drinks, even covered, at the nurses station...which we do frequently :uhoh21: (but they are covered).

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Actually it works out good not being able to have drinks at the station....since we dont have time to pee, it is better not to have a chance to drink anything anyway....right?

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It is not enforced at our hospital unless they are in building. That may change now that they will not be announcing when they will be coming. . . We were told it was a JACHO thing. "No food or drink in 'patient' areas".

But since when is the nurses station considered a "patient area"? It's JCAHO policy or so I've heard that the patients aren't supposed to be behind the nurses station where they have access to other patient's information due to privacy laws and all that. Sooo, if patients can't be back there...THEN IT'S NOT A PATIENT AREA. Right????

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But since when is the nurses station considered a "patient area"? It's JCAHO policy or so I've heard that the patients aren't supposed to be behind the nurses station where they have access to other patient's information due to privacy laws and all that. Sooo, if patients can't be back there...THEN IT'S NOT A PATIENT AREA. Right????

By the way, I'm fussing at JCAHO, not anyone posting here.

Didn't mean for it to come sacross like that.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

It's OSHA that doesn't like drinks in "patient care areas."

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