Drinks at the nurses station

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I have been charged by my CAC to find out more information about the rules of drinking at the nurses station. I know there are many rules against it, I just need to find out the actual rules and laws, with references, to stop the debate once and for all. I am planning on seeing where the laws say we can have drinks (water) to reduce the sited adverse effects of decreased fluid intake. Any help would be appreciated and I could only hope for policies from other hospitals to see what they are doing. Thanks for reading.

Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

We follow that rule only when the state is in the building. My manager however hates food at the station. I'm fine with that as long as I get to drink. I would be sooo upset if I could not have my coffee while I charted.

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Specializes in LTC.

I work in a nursing home and so I frequently am at my med cart, there is water on there anyways and so I just grab a drink from my pitcher on the cart. Also our break room is centrally located and is kind of an open concept (you can easily hear call lights, see patients etc, so I grab a drink from the break room if need be. I've also seen nurses with water bottles on their med carts, which works well too. I've never heard anyone make a stink about water at the nurses station, either. Granted I work night shift though, and don't see administration all that frequently.

I just realized this is in emergency nursing....sorry!

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Specializes in ER.

I drink 2-3 litres per 12hour shift, and rarely pee. Yes I sweat it all out, and I feel ill if I don't keep up the fluids. So I'm already biased, and I talked to occupational health when I was hired just in case they tried to take away my water.

That said, the nurses' station is NOT a patient care area. No patients or family are allowed back there, and I assume it is regularly wiped down. I understand not eating or drinking in patient rooms, or while you walk a bedpan down the hall. Before you move to the nurses' station wash your hands. Remember that we have a vested interest in keeping our drinks clean-we're not going to allow them to sit in a dirty area where all sorts of germs are being sneezed inside.

How can they justify allowing patients to eat and drink in areas they've deemed dirty? They lost me right there.

If I had any money I'd bet that productivity goes down and mistakes go up when fluids are not freely available. Morale...well you can't get much worse when the staff is harassed over such a simple thing. Admin needs to focus on bigger issues, patient CARE issues, and let the employees mind their own business.

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We aren't allowed to have any drinks/food at the nurses station. Period.

I personally think it is unprofessional to be chowing down in the vision of patients!

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Give the state what they want (lip service) and follow it only when they are in the building.

My suggestion is to follow the no drinks in the nurses station rule all the time.

Your clinic/hospital can be cited with a violation if the inspectors walk in and find you are not complying with the law.

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Someone needs to do an evidence based study on the effects of dehydration on productivity and patient safety. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

At my level, I don't really care about OSHA, JACO, etc. That's for administrators. I have always worked twelves; you telling me I can't have fluids available to me for that kind of time? I'd be guilty of malpractice for telling you the same. Sure, there of plenty of shifts where it isn't an issue (buffet in progress at "chez breakroom"). There are some that I must have a drink right there, electronics and all. Let common sense prevail.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Logique and jahra,

That would be a fine rule if the nurses got two 15 mionute breaks and a nice 30 minutes for lunch, but in may places that just does not happen and so my advice stands. Pay lip service and get the fluids you need however you can.

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Specializes in STaff Nurse Hospital, ED, L&D,.

PSU 231??? does your facility have this in writing and can I get a copy? I am trying to find a way to stay hydrated while working. thank you for your comments.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
PSU 231??? does your facility have this in writing and can I get a copy? I am trying to find a way to stay hydrated while working. thank you for your comments.

This was a former job...my first as an RN as a matter of fact. I'm sorry that I don't have a written copy of that.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

As long as the container has a lid and we tuck it back from the edge we're allowed to have drinks outside the breakroom.

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This is a pet peeve of mine. I have been a nurse 20 yrs and this is the first year I have had to deal with absolutely no drinks, covered or otherwise at the nurses station or cubbies. I work in CVCU and have always been a critical care nurse and work with the hardest working group of nurses. It's rare that you see a nurse take two 15 min breaks and then a half hour for lunch, so that basically leaves them one time during their 12 hr shift to get a drink. No wonder we never pee. I totally agree with no food at the nurses station because usually it involves food you eat with your hands or finger foods and doesn't look very professional, but holding a cup or bottle of water is something totally different. I don't know of to many people who lick their fingers after taking a drink or rub their fingers all around the rim of whatever they're drinking. Come on now, really has hand washing not been ingrained in our brains.

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