Nurses eating and drinking at the nurses station

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi fellow nurses, how do you feel about nurses drinking coffee or other beverage and eating food in the nurses station on a regular basis, especially in the presence of patients, visitors and doctors. What's your hospital policy regarding this. It is forbidden on my job, but staff continues to do it, even the Head Nurse when he is stressed out is seen sipping coffee on the unit. The problem with drinking coofee, tea etc. is that especially on nights somehow staff 'accidentally' spills liguids on the computer and on patients record. What is your experience?

Specializes in LTC.
What?!?! Food and drink at the nurses station?! That is so unprofessional! As nurses, we are expected to run not on food, but on spirit, unicorns, rainbows and sunshine. I mean, personally I don't mind not being able to consume any fluid for 12 hours. I really love that white crap that accumulates in the corners of my mouth.

lol, too funny!!!:lol2:

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We eat at my nurses' station. Not messy food though. People eat crackers and drink coffee, stuff like that. Anything really odoriferous is eaten elsewhere.

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I do it as do my co-workers. We don't get breaks half the time. Night shift does it every night. Days might have drinks but that is it. No one eats at the desk during days even if they don't eat at all. I remember the hospital I did clinicals at the nurse manager of one unit would go around dumping drinks in the trash even bottles. Seemed like someone who just liked to assert her "authority" to me.

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i see the cashiers at the grocery stores eating small snacks and drinking between ringing up customers. I have absolutely no problem with that. We go to great lengths to ensure our patient eat at least 3x/day. Why cant we do the same for ourselves?

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What?!?! Food and drink at the nurses station?! That is so unprofessional! As nurses, we are expected to run not on food, but on spirit, unicorns, rainbows and sunshine. I mean, personally I don't mind not being able to consume any fluid for 12 hours. I really love that white crap that accumulates in the corners of my mouth.

This had me laughing for a while. LOL I am still laughing at this part esp , " running not on food, but on spirit, unicorns, rainbows, and sunshine."

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I work in a "decentralized" NICU so we have no real nurses station but rather all private rooms with "alcoves" in between sets of rooms, some alcoves are where our pyxis is, others have all our formulas and breastmilk freezers but others have just computers (and they all have computers). The ones with just computers have a shelf specifically for "closed drink containers" so nothing actually from a coffee place, all the containers have to be sealed and spill proof but we are allowed to have our drinks there and sip them while we chart, otherwise, our unit is so big, we would never be able to drink at all

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Specializes in PERI OPERATIVE.

Occasionally it is necessary. The other day I had to run to the cafeteria, grab a tray, run back (well, maybe walk briskly) and try to inhale it at the nurses station before all craziness breaks loose. I managed to eat some cookies and part of my soup. But that's what you get on a unit manned only by two RNs and no ancillary staff.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Having a covered drinking container at the nurses station doesn't bother me, IF it is hidden from pts. What bothers me is seeing residents, attendings and anesthesia staff carrying around coffee, soft drinks and big ol' Gatorades and sipping on them while interviewing pts in pre-op. That's the same as pulling out your wallet at a red light to make sure you have your debit card, putting it back in your pocket/purse while the homeless person with the big cardboard sign begging for donations at the intersection is staring hopefully at you.

A little awareness makes life easier for all.

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Specializes in Holistic and Aesthetic Medicine.

We aren't allowed any beverages in any clinical area, including the nurses station. It's enforced. I leave soooo dehydrated every day. I manage to get in a coffee before work, a coffee (in sips taken when I can duck into the lounge for a sec), and maybe a water over a 12 hour period.

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Shh, on evening and night shift we are so guilty of chowing down at the nurses station.

While micro management is there we are perfect :saint:...once 4:30 rolls around we turn into :devil:

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

What would you prefer, me having a snack at the nurses station or you having to cover my patients while I'm in the ER with a blood sugar of 40?

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Specializes in LTC.
Shh, on evening and night shift we are so guilty of chowing down at the nurses station.

While micro management is there we are perfect :saint:...once 4:30 rolls around we turn into :devil:

...and :devil: we are but we clean up and make sure not a crumb is left. But I see food out on the floor when I come in on days when lol micromanagement(lol love it!) is there. If a family member brought in something its out on the nurses station for everyone. If its something big we keep it in the pantry until they go home.

They have to suck it up and turn the other cheek around christmas time. Theres so much food brought it in it looks like a bakery lol. Cakes, cookies, candy, popcorn, brownies, breads, everywhere you turn. lol

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