Drinks at the nursing station is most definitely a heated topic. Has anyone found a solution to this issue that both nurses and management are happy with?
At the hospital i'm at, we have kind of a decent sized backroom at the nursing stations; a lot like this picture
For closed drinks; what about putting the drinks in a stackable sealed container like this?
Stackable so they can be kept neatly on the side or corner of the back room and this way the drinking bottles themselves will never come in direct contact with anything "contaminated." If management is worried about the inside of the containers becoming contaminated through communal/repeated use, the solution for that could be using the disinfection wipes before a nurse puts her/his drink in there at the start of their shift.
Specializes in Cardiac, Ortho, Med/Surg, ICU, Quality.
What is a "Destination Hospital"?
A Destination Hospital is a place where people come from all over the country for specialized services. For example we have a popular fertility clinic (think Hollywood) across the street from us that feeds into our hospital. We have VIP suites so that people can come and birth or have surgery privately and without the media.
I work at a Destination Hospital and yes every single employee at the hospital is called an "Associate" regardless of title. It is modeled after the Studer Leadership framework.
Studer framework? As in customer service over clinical excellence, script imposing, healthcare consulting framework? Side-eye....
And no, I really don't have a crappy attitude. I just don't have a high view of healthcare consultants.
In my perfect world we'd use an Ernest Shackleton leadership model. Everyone is recognized and utilized for their own particular role according to expertise (Boss, ship captain, navigator, carpenter, photographer...RN, MD, RRT, CNA, food service, environmental service, rehab professionals, chaplains...not a mess of "associates.") But yes the managers are servant-leaders (Sleep under a blanket while the lower ranking men get down sleeping bags, row in a tiny boat through hundreds of miles of the most hostile sea on the planet to find help..............take off their lab coats and go help on the floor rather than say "we appreciate all you do. And you're getting mandated to stay for a double shift...and remember to say 'What else can I do to provide Very Excellent Care -- because I have the time.'")
Wow, what a crappy attitude! I am grateful for the culture at my hospital and at my local Walmart as well. Good people at both locations.
You're pretty upset over the fact that no one else feels that the word Associate has a positive meaning.
It is a reality. As a former Wal-Mart associate, I know that the word was used to make us feel better about being underpaid and underappreciated.
It's good that your experience is different, but please don't negate ours. Most of us don't work at a fancy hospital with celebrity clients. We get the Medicaid patients. Totally different demographic. The 1% may see the word Associate as a good thing, but the 99% don't.
Back to the topic - per policy we're allowed closed containers at the nurse's stations. No one puts specimens on any surface that's not in the patient's room (during collection). A lot of night shift nurses eat at the desk, too.
Specializes in Cardiac, Ortho, Med/Surg, ICU, Quality.
I am not upset at all. And by the way, I have spent a considerable amount of time in inner city hospitals. Had my share of shootings, stabbings, drunks and prostitutes.
Wow, what a crappy attitude! I am grateful for the culture at my hospital and at my local Walmart as well. Good people at both locations.
I can appreciate that you are trying to elevate your position by deflecting and contrasting our points of view. However, please be advised, that when nursing crosses that line between providing a professional service, and being an associateâ€, there is very little good that can come of that.
Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.
Either place I work, TPTB generally don't care unless it's TJC or State time. I will pour my soft drinks into a closed container with a straw, and we are pretty good about closed containers.
I will occasionally eat at the station if I have to seriously chart, but then again I work night shift and our charge nurse has a brain.
Specializes in Cardiac, Ortho, Med/Surg, ICU, Quality.
@Nurse. I don't have a dog is this particular fight and thanks for confirming the results of the study/article I posted about nurse bullying. I am pretty sure your attitude was highly represented there.
shudder...I remember when that lovely video training was released at the hospital that I worked at...and wasn't allowed to drink water for 12 hours because I did not have the time to take a break or use the bathroom.
@Nurse. I don't have a dog is this particular fight and thanks for confirming the results of the study/article I posted about nurse bullying. I am pretty sure your attitude was highly represented there.
As others have pointed out in numerous other threads, just because someone doesn't agree with you, and has no problem letting you know that they don't agree with you, doesn't make it "bullying".
Now, OT:
Most of my patients are on a Memory Care unit. For that reason, I don't like leaving drinks, covered or otherwise, unattended at the nurses station ( we have too many LOL who are hands on and unfortunately like to dig for gold...).
If I grab something to drink because I'm dry, I duck into the kitchen and the cup gets thrown away immediately. My large covered styrofoam cup of ice and water sits safely in my office, on my desk.
P.S. Putting lab specimens on the desk at the nurses station?? That's just pure-d nasty!!
In comparing meal trays being delivered to units in covered trays, and then being served to patients in their rooms, I am seeing the possibility of nurses being able to keep their covered drinks in an easily accessible cabinet at the nurses station.
The cabinet would have to be regularly cleansed. The drinks would have to be covered. Why couldn't this be a possibility?
Everyone is recognized and utilized for their own particular role according to expertise (Boss, ship captain, navigator, carpenter, photographer...RN, MD, RRT, CNA, food service, environmental service, rehab professionals, chaplains...not a mess of "associates.") But yes the managers are servant-leaders (Sleep under a blanket while the lower ranking men get down sleeping bags, row in a tiny boat through hundreds of miles of the most hostile sea on the planet to find help..............take off their lab coats and go help on the floor rather than say "we appreciate all you do. And you're getting mandated to stay for a double shift...and remember to say 'What else can I do to provide Very Excellent Care -- because I have the time.'")
Slhengy
93 Posts
A Destination Hospital is a place where people come from all over the country for specialized services. For example we have a popular fertility clinic (think Hollywood) across the street from us that feeds into our hospital. We have VIP suites so that people can come and birth or have surgery privately and without the media.