drinks at the nurses station

Specialties Management

Published

I have just recently joined the management team in the ER where I have been a staff nurse. Drinks in the nurses station has been an ongoing battle for as long as I have been a nurse. My manager simply comes out to the floor and procedes to throw any drinks in the trash, this action makes people mad and they resent her for it. I know that OSHA regulations state we cannot have food/drinks in area where contamination from blood borne pathogens and such may happen. My question is, is there a better way to get compliance from staff? I know as a busy ER staff nurse that it is hard to excuse yourself to the breakroom to get a drink and I always kept a covered cup with water hidden at the nurses station. So its hard for me as a new manager to expect compliance from my staff when I know how hard it is myself. Any suggestions?

Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

That is what we were told, we could have bottled water with its cap on, but nothing else. I think it had something to do with one our our nurses who protested due to some medication she was on she needed to have access to water. Anyway, I am content with bottled water, it is better than nothing.

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I would be happy to have some water! You are lucky to have that.

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I don't see a problem with bottle water with a cap on it at all!! That is my choice of drink for work, and for most. even the sport bottles are fine too! We barely have the time to go pee, now we barely have the time to drink! I don't believe this is more of a habit. I drink because I am thrity and I know from all the running around we do and how the temp,chances from hot to cold and back, you can dehydrate quickly. Its not that easy in the ER to just walk down to the med room and hang out and drink. I work in a big er, so when we can get into the med room to get a drink, we are met by other nurses trying to get there meds. Crazy!! it is. And then top it off with the manager coming in, laughing at us, because it crowded in the med room, but she is drinking her coffee in her office locate next to the nurses station and also walks around with it. Its a bit inhumane. I know the other places I have worked at are by far ,much better than this place. But like I said before, If staff has to do it, so should management and the doctors and anyone who works in the patient care areas.

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In my unit, it's pretty relaxed. We are discouraged from eating at the nurses station (and yet sometimes it still happens.......we're busy you know!) but drinking has never been an issue. We do try to keep cups, etc with covers, though.

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

This probably comes under the heading of TMI, but I developed severe constipation, which has been an on going problem now for 7 years - all due to the fact that I was getting dehydrated at work. I rarely had the time to take a "break" and hydrate myself. So, I took to taking bottled water with me where ever I go. I keep a cap on it. It has solved the problem. I don't try to hide it, because if I did, I would forget to drink.

I defy anyone to tell me to put my drink away. I cannot tell you the agony that chronic constipation can cause, and I am not going to compromise my health, because the job I have will not give me adequate coverage so I can take recommended breaks.

Blessings

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Sounds like the places I use to work at. Everyone was pretty laid back, I come here and OMG!! Never seen anything like this! I know its not this bad elsewhere.

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See, I don't understand this rule of not drinking at your work station, because they say its a infection control issue. Where is the data to back this up with?. I would like to read it. I see it as more of a health risk to us in the medical field, but they say it is for our protection. Its bad enough that we hold our pee in for hours, and there is data to back that up, on how unhealthy that is to do. There is data on fake finger nails. But I have been in this for 25 years and I have never heard of anyone getting sick, from drinking at there desk. And why would you put blood or urine specimens next to your drinks.I don't see others or myself doing that. And patients can't come into the nurses station, its a hippa violation. So , is it like something in the air? LOL

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and what are we being protected from? but its okay for the patient's food to be at the nurses station, you know, sometimes the food is left there for awhile. but its okay to drink in the med room, when another nurse might be primeing a line for blood or maybe crushing chemo. This to me is the same as laying a blood or urine specimen down next to your drink at the NS. I work in the ER , so I know its different in other units. but when we draw blood and collect specimens, we never go back to our area with them, we tube them off, then go back and chart or whatever. but I don't sit at my work station with specimens all over the place. And that goes for my co-workers too! That is just gross!!

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Yes, this is a controversial issue. Even though I prefer to have my drink at the nurses station, we all know we aren't supposed to. Doing what is right might peeve people, but at least you are doing the right thing. Just try to smile and be nice about it... my manager was always very lighthearted but firm, and she ended up having great compliance. Hope that helps!

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Thanks, I do smile and when I am at work I just let it roll off my back. You have to, or you just won't make it in this business. Its just nice to have a forum like this to speak your mind and get other peoples input.

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I know its painful yet, has anyone bothered to research what OSHA has to say about this issue? Unlike JCAHO who comes in and slaps hands and removes credentials, OSHA serves violation fees and closes hospitals for violations of their standards. We too have an issue with this, yet we want to keep in compliance and have a workplace to come to. Sometimes, one has to look at the bigger picture. Then you might want to present it to your managers, physicians, etc. an email of the criteria to the top management wouldn't hurt.

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Oh!! We have sent it to the top management here and like I said all the doctors agree with us and think this isn't right at all[as they drink in front of us and do NOTHING to help]! Got us nowhere. I have worked in many hospitals, and drinking at the nurses station was never a big issue like this. Except, at this hospital. It started right after JACHO left. Who thinks of these rules! And where is the data to back it up! Now I know you all agree, that we barely have time to pee. Now we are suppose to find time to take a drink. And then we have our managers setting there clocks, so they can come in at the wee hours and try to catch us drinking at the nurse's station. This shows a lack of respect for us, in my eyes. This is worse then going to school. There are bigger issues out there to deal with then this. I speak only of this hospital I work at. I have ever encounter this type of behavior anywhere else. This is a top 100 hospital and a magnet hospital. and it is not Duke or WakeMed, or UNC here in NC. It is a very differnce ER from most, that I have worked at. For example, if you need an ultrasound, you must have a Foley put in. If the patient refuses and ask if they could drink instead to fill there bladder, not good enough!, they are then D/C by the doctor for refusing treatment. We have a high UTI rate here. Hmmmm, I wonder why? This to me is one of the bigger issues that we should deal with instead of the "drinking at the nurse's station issue. I am in the process of looking elsewhere. This is not for me.

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