Do Nurses have time...

allnurses Guide · Feb 22, 2007

Yes, I go to the bathroom frequently since I drink alot of water and coffee at work.

Yes, I get my breaks and lunch.

I don't carry around water in a bottle, I have a cup of ice water at the nurse's station alongside my cup of coffee.

steph

muffie, RN · Feb 22, 2007

a dehydrated, constipated, hypoglycemic, urinary-spasm-retented nurse is not a good nurse

KR · Feb 22, 2007

Yes nurses have time to go to the bathroom and eat if you make the time for it. Although I will say I have worked in some units that it was hard to get people to cover your patients for lunch and it took some badgering, but I do not recommend working in a unit like that. Sometimes you really have to fight for what is right, meaning make sure you get ur lunch and breaks etc. I have found for myself though, that even after 6 years of nursing, I am not always the best at doing the above. I have worked in some places that I have gone 12-14hours without eating, etc, but that is just because I was so busy I did not want to take the time to have a lunch break. In those cases, I always heep protein bars and such in my bag and closeby along with something to drink.

xjae · Feb 22, 2007

Thanks a lot for the answers! so friendly...

ok a couple of more questions

Can you chew gum?

Put on cologne?

TazziRN, RN · Feb 22, 2007

The ER is a different story.......we often end up holding the bladders and skipping meals. You can drink your meal but you may not have time to eat one.

2-3 meals? We get one meal break per shift.

Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but there's many a time I go home at 8 pm and eat for the first time since breakfast.

TazziRN, RN · Feb 22, 2007

Chewing gum is not a good thing, neither is wearing scents. You have to remember that sick people have changes in the olfactory senses and scents can make them feel ill when normally it wouldn't bother them.

xjae · Feb 22, 2007

Chewing gum is not a good thing, neither is wearing scents. You have to remember that sick people have changes in the olfactory senses and scents can make them feel ill when normally it wouldn't bother them.

Thanks so much! :lol2:

MIA-RN1, RN · Feb 22, 2007

I go to the bathroom as needed. I work 12h shifts and get one meal break, but my patients arent truly covered except for the 10 minutes I leave the floor to go to the cafeteria. I just eat on the floor (not literally lol) and then if I am needed, I go take care of it and return to food later. Something you will want to do is to is actually plan your meal into your daily assigment schedule. I do it all the time and it makes it easier to get a dinner.

Cologne/perfume is really frowned upon. I chew gum because I think better with it, and because I'd rather blow peppermint on my patients than fumes from whatever I'd last eaten! :)

I always have a large cup of water around, as do most of the nurses I work with.

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 22, 2007

I go to the bathroom as needed, even if it means asking a coworker to cover my patients for me.

I keep a pitcher of water (1 liter) and give myself 4 hours to drink it---I keep it in the breakroom and sip it frequently/usually drink 2 or more liters each 12 hour shift.

NEVER EVER wear cologne, PLEASE. The numbers of people who are allergic are astounding and some can even have dangerous breathing problems related to perfume/cologne use. Save that for your dates/home use.

I would refrain from chewing gum. It looks bad, even if you just chew it a little. I keep mints in my pocket for bad breath, instead.

allnurses Guide · Feb 22, 2007

No cologne or smelly lotions.

I do chew gum because the mints just don't work as well. I keep toothpaste and mouthwash in my locker and use those several times a day, especially after coffee (coffee breath is not attractive) and after eating. Hate to breathe bad breath on my patients.

I work in a small rural hospital and work med/surg, OB and ER . . . .

steph

bethin · Feb 22, 2007

I go to the bathroom as needed, even if it means asking a coworker to cover my patients for me.
I keep a pitcher of water (1 liter) and give myself 4 hours to drink it---I keep it in the breakroom and sip it frequently/usually drink 2 or more liters each 12 hour shift.
NEVER EVER wear cologne, PLEASE. The numbers of people who are allergic are astounding and some can even have dangerous breathing problems related to perfume/cologne use. Save that for your dates/home use.
I would refrain from chewing gum. It looks bad, even if you just chew it a little. I keep mints in my pocket for bad breath, instead.

Yep, please do not wear cologne. Not only does it bother pts with respiratory problems but it also bothers co workers like me. I don't mind a light scented lotion like jergens but leave the bath and body stuff at home for your hubby.

I guess chewing gum depends on how you chew it. If you smack it around like a teenager then it's unprofessional. If you chew when your in the med room but stuff it in your cheek when around pts then that's different. Personally, gum gives me a headache. I carry life savers in my pocket and crunch those.