Eating the patients' food?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. Do you eat the patients' food/snacks supplied by the facility?

    • 12
      No, never...it's stealing
    • 12
      No, but I know a lot of people who do
    • 47
      Sometimes I eat crackers, if I'm feeling sick because I'm starving
    • 12
      Yes, I do, and I feel guilty about it sometimes
    • 61
      Yes I do and I don't care. I'm working hard and need food to keep going

143 members have participated

What do you think about staff, family members of patients, and/or anyone else other than patients, eating the snacks in the nutrition room designated for patients? Have you ever done it or seen anyone else? Do you think it's stealing, if your facility doesn't offer them to you, patient's families, etc. Do you think staff should be able to have them if their not able to take a formal lunch break?

I eat so many cookies (if I can find them) and crackers that if they alone caused diabetes, I would have it. If I've been so busy that I'm sweating bullets, I'll do a ham sandwich, or worst case scenario, the cardboard, I mean turkey sandwich. I don't drink soda or juice that much any more so I leave that alone. But I LOVE MILK, so I'll have a 2% milk.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
Oh the dreaded turkey sandwich....there's not enough mustard or mayo in the world to bring that thing to life. Next to my mouth at the end of 12 hour midnights, it's the driest thing on the unit. I still eat it though. :roflmao:

No, it's the dreaded 1 piece of cheese sandwich that's THE driest!!

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Specializes in Critical care, Trauma.

In our unit, a "standard tray" that fulfills each patient's ordered diet is sent for each meal even if they don't order a tray. If the patient doesn't want to eat or doesn't like the particular tray sent and wants to order something else late, we will absolutely divvy up the food. Not all of it is particularly good but a fresh fruit salad cup is nice when you realize it's 12:30pm and you're still hours from being able to take a real lunch. And I will shamelessly scarf down some meatloaf and mashed potatoes like it's my last meal.

Last week we had an absolutely *insane* day where everyone was running around like crazy with a unit full of very sick people plus several heart surgeries. As some of the "hanger" started to creep in, I handed out PB & J sandwiches made from supplies in the kitchenette. Technically not something we're *supposed* to do but I'm sure patient care is much better when their nurses are focused and in the moment rather than feeling hungry and wilted. It's amazing what a spoonful of peanut butter will do for one's attitude!

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

I'm keto so the only thing I can eat is the little peanut butter cups, and even that is not the best.

I've been caught before licking the cup to get every little last bit of peanut butter out on days I can't eat lunch.

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I'm keto so the only thing I can eat is the little peanut butter cups, and even that is not the best.

I've been caught before licking the cup to get every little last bit of peanut butter out on days I can't eat lunch.

Hilarious, but not true. You can take the bread off of the nasty turkey sandwich. Enjoy!, at least we still got to eat.

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.
Hilarious, but not true. You can take the bread off of the nasty turkey sandwich. Enjoy!, at least we still got to eat.

I'm the weirdo who doesn't like turkey. I can't stand Thanksgiving turkey, either. If the apocalypse happens and all that is left to eat is turkey of course I would eat turkey but that is about it.

At my facility they are not as strict about crackers and snacks but that lunches are prepared by a gourmet catering company and if you're caught with one it is a write-up and therefore fireable offense.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

1 chocolate milk + 2 vanilla ice creams + 10 seconds in the microwave = basically a Wendy's frosty. Just FYI ;)

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1 chocolate milk + 2 vanilla ice creams + 10 seconds in the microwave = basically a Wendy's frosty. Just FYI ;)

No fair! No chocolate milk (caffeine) on the cardiac floor. I'm so jealous.

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Snacks and food from the unit kitchen probably make up 50-75% of my nutritional intake while working mostly in the form of crackers and peanut butter, the rest comes from a Clif bar that I eat in the few seconds here and there I have to eat.

Peanut butter and crackers are my thing! Eat that all day! Just hope the next patient I treat doesn't have a peanut allergy!

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Specializes in OB.
1 chocolate milk + 2 vanilla ice creams + 10 seconds in the microwave = basically a Wendy's frosty. Just FYI ;)

Where is the "mind blown" emoji??? Amazing. Yes, I've survived the last few hours of many a night shift by grabbing some Jello or graham crackers from the nutrition area. I've never eaten an actual meal tray, but only because I've only ever worked in hospitals where the food sucked. I did work with a nurse who would regularly eat meal trays to save money if there were extra. Also a social worker who would take them without asking, but she was nuts.

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No, it's the dreaded 1 piece of cheese sandwich that's THE driest!!

:roflmao: TOUCHE!!!

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1 chocolate milk + 2 vanilla ice creams + 10 seconds in the microwave = basically a Wendy's frosty. Just FYI ;)

Unfortunately we only have 2%. I'm glad. Chocolate milk is my vice. I would destroy those toddler sized cartons.

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