Really?? A Farmer's Market in the hospital?

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A local hospital has been advertising that it is now holding weekly Farmers' Markets in the halls of the hospital. Apparently local farmers are bringing produce from their farms or gardens and the hospital sets up tables on the first floor of the hospital. The hospital is one of a chain of 3 in the city and all 3 are participaing in the market.

Does anyone else find this strange? What about the patients who are on immune precautions? What about the potential for insect infestation? And that's just the beginning....

Specializes in Health Information Management.

It sounds a little counter-intuitive at first, but I'll bet that market is both successful and safe. After all, fresh fruits and veggies are great for the average person's health, and buying locally grown produce has economic benefits for the community. I know I would have liked something like that while I was pregnant and having to visit my OB/GYN every week! As long as it's set up in a way that doesn't make it really difficult or impossible for nurses and other direct patient care providers to do their jobs, it sounds like a cool idea. :)

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

I have to admit too........I had the same reaction as the OP initially did, but for the opposite reason.

I thought it was odd not because the hospital should rethink it........but because the Farmer's Market should.

"We're having a wonderful sale on cucumbers sir, half off. Just make sure you clean the MRSA off them before putting them in your salad, unless you think MRSA adds flavor."

If I were selling produce..........the hospital would not be my first choice for where to do business. And I am sure the people running these markets would feel the same if they, as I am, were aware of the cut backs in the housekeeping budgets at most facilities.

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Why can't it be outside the hospital, if there is a large enough area. Or maybe in the courtyard, if there is one. The intentions are good. I mean, who doesn't like a farmer's market. But the placement is a little stupid.

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Specializes in ICU/ER/L&D.

Ours is outside and we love it! In terms of infection control, a smarter move would be to limit visitors to two at a time. I was in L&D the other day and there were no fewer than 40 family members, all clamoring to "see the new baby" who couldn't understand why they couldn't all cram in the room at the same time. More handwashing, fewer visitors = less germs. We don't even have the basics down even after several hundred years.

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Something tells me this is a PR thing, not the hospital overly concerned about their patients and visitor's diet. Just another tool they are using to increase "customer satisfaction" and as well as calling attention to their hospital.

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Specializes in PACU, OR.
Something tells me this is a PR thing, not the hospital overly concerned about their patients and visitor's diet. Just another tool they are using to increase "customer satisfaction" and as well as calling attention to their hospital.

Almost certainly. Apart from that, they very likely make a few bucks out of renting the stalls to the farmers. I'd check up on that, and if there is rental being charged, find out what the hospital's going to do with the money..

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Specializes in ER.

I think it's strange, but pretty cool too. Many veggies have lots of things on them anyway, why not sale them in the hospital and pick up those bugs too?

I wouldn't buy anything there that wasn't wrapped up and exposed while it lay in wait in the halls. Yuck.

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Specializes in ER.
I absolutely see where you could be off-put by this.

While I can definitely empathize with why the family and visitors of those on neutropenic precautions would find this raises the hairs on their neck, our oncology floor has special admitting procedure for these patients. When coming from home families are well aware of environmental exposure risks. We have fresh fruit in our cafe and flowers in the gift shop, visitors are informed by signs posted at these locations and information from the nurses of neutropenic pts. No one is surprised these things are available (just that they need to speak with their loved one's nurses before making such purchases), I bet the market would have information to this end as well.

If I didn't attend farmer's markets regularly, I wouldn't know that they growers clean their fruit and vegetables before market. It's wonderful to be cut a slice of the fruit you're about to buy and I wouldn't be eating fruit that looked "that" fresh. I have seen those pesky fruit flies at a stand or two (I naturally avoid them - most growers are wise enough to keep them at bay for this reason). However, since only rotten or cut fruit seem to be the culprit for attracting them, I bet they would regulate this practice.

I do think there is value to spreading the mindset of nutritive food and depending on the market, sustainable or organic options, to the general public as an aspect of health.

I just wanted to let you know that I got a bit queasy as a gut reaction when I read your OP - it's not that unreasonable that you felt the way you did. I bet holding it INSIDE actually prevents some of the issues you are concerned about. Washed, whole fruit, in a cool environment, is less likely to attract pests of any form (microbial or insect).

I've been to more than a few where it would appear nothing had been washed. You can't assume because one farmer washes their stuff that others do too.

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"We're having a wonderful sale on cucumbers sir, half off. Just make sure you clean the MRSA off them before putting them in your salad, unless you think MRSA adds flavor."

This would be my concern as well. Sick patients who touch/cough/etc all over my tomatoes.

It just seems unnecessary to expose food (much of which will be eaten raw) to a high concentration of germs.

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I have to admit too........I had the same reaction as the OP initially did, but for the opposite reason.

I thought it was odd not because the hospital should rethink it........but because the Farmer's Market should.

"We're having a wonderful sale on cucumbers sir, half off. Just make sure you clean the MRSA off them before putting them in your salad, unless you think MRSA adds flavor."

If I were selling produce..........the hospital would not be my first choice for where to do business. And I am sure the people running these markets would feel the same if they, as I am, were aware of the cut backs in the housekeeping budgets at most facilities.

That was my exact thinking too.

I wouldn't make a special trip to the hospital for fruits and veggies.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

We periodically have one at my hospital, but as with one of the first posters, ours is outdoors. It is primarily for staff to be able to purchase fresh fruit and veg. It is not in the halls and people aren't running into patient rooms with carrots and covering them with MRSA.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
A local hospital has been advertising that it is now holding weekly Farmers' Markets in the halls of the hospital. Apparently local farmers are bringing produce from their farms or gardens and the hospital sets up tables on the first floor of the hospital. The hospital is one of a chain of 3 in the city and all 3 are participaing in the market.

Does anyone else find this strange? What about the patients who are on immune precautions? What about the potential for insect infestation? And that's just the beginning....

My concerns would be infection control,security,and the privacy and comfort of the patients. The obvious first concern is the produce itself. We all know about e coli on fresh veg and it can be transmitted person to person if it's on the hands. I doubt anyone will go out of their way to do their weekly shopping there but still people will gather and that's not healthy in a hospital setting with immuno compromised pts.

How will the hospitalkeep the area secure with the traffic this will attract to the immediate area?

If it really truly is near the patients what about their privacy and comfort? No-one wants an audience when they are being ferried to radiology,sick and in a hospital gown.And the noise-this is just the dumbest thing I have ever heard...

The market really is not going to be in the halls on the units,is it? It certainly has to be in the lobby areas ,right? No-one would really allow this set up near the patients,would they? I hope the OP updates us on this. If I lived nearby I think I would have to check it out myself to see if it's true....

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