Nurses eating and drinking at the nurses station

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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 Burn, CCU, CTICU, Trauma, SICU, MICU.

We always have snacks, chips, cookies, etc... set out on the counter at the nurses station for us to grab as we go by. We also have a little snack closet to that we drop some coins in and it is stocked with energy bars, chips, oatmeal, soup, candy, soda, juices, etc... and we also keep drinks at the bedside in the ICU. We will wheel out extra bedside stands to set up crockpots full of goodies into the nurses station too... Our managers help us. :)

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Specializes in CVICU, Obs/Gyn, Derm, NICU.
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.

Bet your manager is having coffee whenever she/he likes

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We have pods, so we take covered drinks in the room with us and set them on a cart near the door, never at the babies bedsides. They didn't want us to do this until one of our attendings put up a fight for us and asked if someone was going to watch the rooms every time we wanted to go get a drink of water, and the moms are allowed to have covered drinks at the bedsides. So, the only time we don't have them is when dept of health or Jch is there. No food ever.

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It's a huge No where I work, no food ever, drinks are OK but they must be covered with a lid. It's my understanding that it's a JACHO thing. Of course we eat at the desk on night shift but no ones around to see us at 3 am. I never see food at the desk on day shift.

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Specializes in Burn, CCU, CTICU, Trauma, SICU, MICU.
It's a huge No where I work, no food ever, drinks are OK but they must be covered with a lid. It's my understanding that it's a JACHO thing. Of course we eat at the desk on night shift but no ones around to see us at 3 am. I never see food at the desk on day shift.

Its not a JACHO thing, nor is it an OSHA thing. Its generally considered to be an infection control issue - which is why some places don't care about it being in the nurses station, but still regulate against it being at the bedside.

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Specializes in Acute Rehab, Med/surg Pediactrics.

I'm a Type 2 diabetic I signed a form for special work accommodations during my employment that I can have vitamin water and peanut butter crackers... just saying

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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.

Don't forget the recurring UTIs. If you're not burning when you pee, you're in nursing for all the wrong reasons.

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I think we've all eaten a chocolate or two at the nurses station and I have had a water in the past. I think its important to stay hydrated so I can't see how having a drink of water is unprofessional. However I try not to snack too much.....don't want to put on weight!! :) and coffee stains teeth! lol :)

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Specializes in thoracic ICU, ortho/neuro, med/surg.

Generally in my unit, drinking from containers with lids is completely acceptable. I work in a very busy ICU and it is hard to find time to step away -- and not much place to step away TO (we don't have pods, we have one very tiny break room, the rest of the place is circular) -- for a sip of water or something. Food is generally eaten in the break room if it is not past visiting hours. Once visiting hours are over, often nurses will eat at the nurses' station in order to watch the monitor & eat at the same time.

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Specializes in FNP.

I never worked anywhere that it was permitted, but I never worked anyplace it didn't happen.

At my last RN position, everyone ate/drank openly in the pt care areas, except for the week Joint Comission was coming. Administration regularly brought us food, lol. They knew full well we weren't getting any breaks. Much cheaper to bring us a pizza than to pay for lunch coverage!

What do/did I think of it? ho hum. I think we had bigger problems to worry about.

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

we do it on both the units I work. Its not like we're eating a 3 course meal, but munching on our lunch while we get caught up with charting? Absolutely. And someone always usually brings in chocolate or cookies to grab on the go. I also keep my aluminum water bottle at the station to continue to sip on.

The nurses station is generally pt free and MD free (there are separate rooms for the docs on our floors). And as long as everyone is compliant with their hand washing when entering and leaving a pt's room, then theoretically, the station should remain relatively germ free. I really dont see how the break room is any less dirty than the nurses station when people are going into and out of that all day-not to mention the staff restroom is in the break room on one of my floors!

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Peds ICU.

When my employer starts letting me take the lunch break that I'm legally entitled to, then I'll stop eating at the nurses station.

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