Nurses need water

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Specializes in gastro, elderly, stroke.

Ive found running about like we all do and not taking time to go the bathroom is a big issue what I also believe is a massive thing at least for me is I find we never drink enough water! so for the last year and half since this thought came to me, to become the water woman, I know i get thirsty so whenever I get myself a drink of water I get someone else on the team one too, our fluid charts look rubbish! so always think if your having a drink get someone else one too its appriciated alot :)

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Dehydration is an issue for me at work. Can't really afford to drink much due it making me have to use the restroom frequently. Nurses get uti's ;)

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I am prone to kidney stones and I get them alot because of dehydration. And we are not allowed to have food or drink at the nurses station and it sucks! When I work a bunch of days in a row I'm bound to get a stone!

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Specializes in Rehab, critical care.

Yep, true. The only time I drink water is during lunch break. Then, usually, don't drink anything until I get home. However, I think most of us just forget to take care of ourselves while we're taking care of others. There's no reason why we can't grab a drink of water and drink it while we're charting for a few minutes. All nursing jobs require a chunk of our time to be devoted to documentation, no denying that lol. And, the running to the restroom thing. Sometimes we do go 12 hours without eating or drinking anything because there is no time for it, urgent scenarios, etc, but that should be the exception. I try to remember to take care of myself because our health, you know, is kind of important lol. And, who wants a UTI?

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Specializes in Cardiopulmonary Stepdown/Cath Lab, ICU.

I'm sorry, but if you don't have time to drink water or go to the bathroom then there is a problem with either your time management or staffing imho.

Let's break this down.

It takes at max 15 seconds to grab some swigs of water and a max of maybe ~3 minutes to go to the bathroom and wash your hands if you are just peeing. And maybe another 2 minutes to grab a couple mouthfuls of food.

I understand not getting time to take a lunch break and eat, don't remember the last time I actually took a break, but

Let's be serious, if your not able to grab some water or go pee there is something else going on.

I drink water all shift, and when I have to go to the bathroom I let people know that's where I'll be. I have my zone phone if there is an emergency and yes I've answered while going to the bathroom. The doctor was happy to call me back in a couple minutes...

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I'm sorry, but if you don't have time to drink water or go to the bathroom then there is a problem with either your time management or staffing imho.

Let's break this down.

It takes at max 15 seconds to grab some swigs of water and a max of maybe ~3 minutes to go to the bathroom and wash your hands if you are just peeing. And maybe another 2 minutes to grab a couple mouthfuls of food.

I understand not getting time to take a lunch break and eat, don't remember the last time I actually took a break, but

Let's be serious, if your not able to grab some water or go pee there is something else going on.

I drink water all shift, and when I have to go to the bathroom I let people know that's where I'll be. I have my zone phone if there is an emergency and yes I've answered while going to the bathroom. The doctor was happy to call me back in a couple minutes...

The longer I'm a nurse, the better I get at time management, however each day is different and unpredictable. I think the reason I don't go to the bathroom enough at work is because my brain is so jam-packed with information that I actually don't even think about going until I'm about to bust. I get what you're saying about having 2 minutes to grab some food, but who wants to choke to death cramming a (probably unhealthy and fast) snack down their throat? It's better than starving, but still not okay. We seem to have adequate staffing, in fact the best I've ever had, but our patients come in sicker and sicker and some days if I have 3 patients I'm running more than if I have 5. Also there's only 2 bathrooms nearby and a lot of times they're occupied during my 30 seconds of free time. I have started keeping a water bottle close by, which helps me get more in and makes me feel a lot better too, but I somehow always end the day with having to pee really bad. Maybe it's just a problem that comes with my particular area of work.

And Heidimc - what a great idea! I try to remind my coworkers to EAT and will offer to cover for them if I'm able so that they get a break.

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Oh, wow! This is horrible. I hope there is a solution to this vs. repeatedly getting a stone...

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Specializes in APRN, ACNP-BC, CNOR, RNFA.

Ya'll need hydration stations. As long as it's an area that is properly labeled as a hydration station, and there is no patient care or charting done in the area, it'll pass regulation. There must be hand sanitizer at the entrance/exit and all drinks must have a lid. We used the cabinet in our patient nutrition room. If we got our patients something to drink, we were able to get something to drink too.

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I made sure that the pitcher of water on my cart had always been ran through the dishwasher, and I drank water all day out of it. If I wouldn't drink out of it then my patients shouldn't be drinking out of it.

We, as nurses, need to do something so that we can have bottles of water at our charting stations. The people that make these rules are not sitting at their desk without food or water all day, you can guarantee that. Drinking water is a right, not a privilege, especially working the 12 hr shifts (and how many of these are really 12s? They are always longer).

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This is really horrible. Thanks GOD, in my home country, water bottles are allowed at the charting station. Also, all nurses take half an hour break, at least in my area. My heart is with you!! It must be really hard..

Heidimic, brilliant idea :-)

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I don't need water

NS 200ml/hr

:p

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Im pregnant and I know I was dehydrated because I barely have time to pee let alone drink anything during a shift, I was trying to take time as much as I could but it wasnt enough- I just found out I have kidney stones d/t dehydration! Make time to drink water, not fun :(

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