Fed up with the "rules"

loriangel14, RN · Mar 29, 2011

We have the no water in patient care areas as well. It is an infection control thing. We can have a water bottle in out report room so if you need a drink you have to go in there to get one.No big deal.The head of infection control has a fit if she finds a water bottle or coffee cup at the nurses station. Yes she does have WAY too much time on her hands.

1icurn.jn · Mar 29, 2011

Plus work a 13+ hour shift w/ no lunch break, or atleast not an uninterrupted one. it's barbaric. and we are supposed to be supporting health and wellness

Isabelle49 · Mar 29, 2011

Any place that says a nurse cannot wear white isn't worth working for and can go to heck in a handbasket.

Batman25 · Mar 29, 2011

Stop and drink your water and remember to pee. I learned this the hard way with a roaring UTI by not taking better care of myself. Learn from my mistake.

tntrn, ASN, RN · Mar 29, 2011

I quit a job that wouldn't allow water bottles at the nurses station. Even brought in a physician's note for water...no dice.
Every job I've had since I mention at the first occupational health interview that I require water during work hours. No problems. Having some distance from the situation I think it's unreasonable to restrict fluids. Patients are allowed to eat and drink, in patient care areas. I would leave the job again, in a minute. As I get older it's funny how I start to know my own limits, what I can put up with, and what won't work.

Not to mention a rule that is just stupid and probably written by someone who gets to have coffee, water, soda within arm's reach at all times. Pt. care areas? Since when do patients come behind the desk to your charting area? Ours surely do not.

funny too, how a different nurse manager can change things. Our last one, emphasis on Last, was a total control freak, and micromanager. Our current one is about 180 degrees from that. Most of us keep our water bottles in a room off the nurses' station, but OMG! the Pyxis is there so that's probably a no-no too.

I find it so unacceptable that although we are given the responsibility of teaching anything and everything healthwise to our patients, we are not allowed to take care of our own basic health needs while on duty. And reprimanded if we do.

NotFlo · Mar 29, 2011

I am currently in the float pool at a large metropolitan hospital. Staffing one of their toughest units.
They say they are thrilled to have me, as I can handle the assignment from hell.
Of course, there is no such thing as a break.
Recently the DIRECTOR approached me... I can't wear a white scrub top, not in the dress code.
I can't have a water container at the desk either. Exactly when am I supposed to hydrate myself as I am running up and down the halls, literally wiping sweat off my brow?
Nurses are expected to be super human, look and act professional at all times. Without a break or allowed to sip water.
I don't think animals are allowed to be treated this way, let alone professionals.

I hear you. I have a big issue with the forbidden water too. Most of my shifts are crazy, I don't take any breaks or leave the floor. I do use the bathroom when I have to, but usually that's only once in an 8 hr shift. A water bottle or drinking is not allowed at the nurses' station, on our med carts, or anywhere else except in the break room.

By the end of my shift, after the dry, hot environment, running around and sweating all day, I end up so incredibly dehydrated. As I'm pushing fluids on my LOLs, I'm dying for a sip of water myself. I've taken to filling a pitcher with ice water and popping a straw in it and sucking the whole thing down at once hiding in the kitchenette (aren't supposed to drink in there either but I don't have time to run all the way to the downstairs, basement break room to drink water!).

I understand infection control, and I don't want to see a buffet line at the nurses' station or spilled coffee on charts or uncovered drinks everywhere, but I have a hard time seeing the harm in a tightly closed water bottle...we're supposed to all be "clean" at the station anyway.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Mar 29, 2011

We don't even have a nurse's station in our unit...we have this room in the middle that we share with the docs and they tried to tell us that we couldn't even have water in there! They finally relented and let us have water in there. Our manager will let us take water bottles that have lids on them in the pods....she just gives us a heads up to get them out when the cootie patrol is around. The moms can have water bottles at the bedsides in the pods, so why can't we? And our breakroom isn't near enough to run out and grab something to drink.

Someday, nurses will be robots that don't need to pee, eat, drink or get paid...then they will be happy!

backatit2 · Mar 29, 2011

I am currently in the float pool at a large metropolitan hospital. Staffing one of their toughest units.
They say they are thrilled to have me, as I can handle the assignment from hell.
Of course, there is no such thing as a break.
Recently the DIRECTOR approached me... I can't wear a white scrub top, not in the dress code.
I can't have a water container at the desk either. Exactly when am I supposed to hydrate myself as I am running up and down the halls, literally wiping sweat off my brow?
Nurses are expected to be super human, look and act professional at all times. Without a break or allowed to sip water.
I don't think animals are allowed to be treated this way, let alone professionals.

and now you know why they're understaffed.

ObtundedRN, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2011

We are not allowed drinks/food at the desks and patient care areas, but we do have a designated drink area out at the nursing station. That is allowed. Are you sure you don't have one of those, nobody ever said you were not allowed to hydrate.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2011

Quitting is not the option. I am looking to change the rules, not just walk away.

Sue Damonas, BSN · Mar 30, 2011

I once saw a nursing supervisor measuring one of my coworker's earrings to make sure that they were the size allowed in the dress code.

MunoRN, RN · Mar 30, 2011

One of our Docs commented on the water issue with this joke:

The police found a dead body and knew immediately the person was a nurse. How did they know? She was severely dehydrated, had a bad back, her stomach was empty, and her ass was chewed off.

He pointed out that the sad thing is that it's only funny because it's true.

This Doc is the Physician representative to our Practice committee and was actually the one who brought up the issue, arguing against our policy of keeping water in "patient care" areas. For the purpose of infection control relating to food and water, nursing stations are not "patient care" areas. Unless you have a decontamination shower on the way into the break room there is no reason to believe that the risk is any different in the break room than it is at the nurses station.