Water Pitchers

[makes needs known]

Hospitals and(or) Health care facilities: Do your patients still recieve water pitchers, with ice and fresh water? If so who delivers them? Nursing or some other department?

[NotFlo]

How many patients on your floor? Filling one by one seems like a waste of time. On my floor a CNA just fills 30 pitchers, places them on the rolling cart as she goes, and goes down the hall and switches out the old for new. Doesn't take all that long. Plus we have a "hydration station" in the hall with a big container of ice water with a spout and cups. Esp. in the summer hydration and fluids are pushed big time.

[kool-aide, RN]

I love hearing so many nurses saying that either they OR the CNA pass waters. So happy that this isn't looked upon as being the "CNA's job." Thank you!

[NurseKatie08, MSN]

We have water pitchers that either pour water or can also have a straw put in them. Every patient gets one on admission unless they are on thickened fluids or a fluid restriction. Although often times I've found I have to remove them from the rooms of people with restrictions, but that's another thread...

[JDZ344]

We give jugs of water. The nursing staff do it as needed. If I get time, I go around just before I go home and make sure everyone is set up with water.

[MedicLifelineRN]

We fill the water pitchers if we have no CNAs. Plus w keep track of the I&O if the CNAs are not assigned to work the floor for various reasons. We also hand out snacks, and I have even ran to get snacks for some of them vending machine. I also have to go to dietary to get trays at times since we do not have a standard kitchen.

[NewAggieGrad09]

I work at a pediatric hospital, so here we always give patients/families empty pitchers when they are admitted, but only fill them up when asked. A lot of these kids either drink bottle water (they can get one or two bottles with each meal), or are in the "I hate water" stage, and therefore drink other beverages.

[NewAggieGrad09]

I forgot the rest of my post lol. Anyone can fill them up...RNs, techs, PSAs (here, we have Patient Service Attendants, who help with trays, menus, making beds, etc). If my patients are on strict I&O, I usually like to handle getting beverages for them myself so I can keep track of their intake. We have a water/ice machine in the hall, so patients/families are also able to fill them up; if they are I&O, we just ask them to keep track or write down how many cups from the pitcher they have had.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I work with severely immunosuppressed pts.

We no longer use the pitches d/t infection issues. Fluids provided in fresh cups for each use.

[NurseHopefulInOH]

The aides fill up 32OZ styrofoam cups QS with ice water. They get new cups every day. Places I've worked before they used plastic large cups but they were always missing or missing lids/straws etc and were to heavy for the resident to lift when even remotely full.

[systoly]

I work at an LTC as an aide. On the 4 regular unit, you have to give ice. They are 64 oz jugs that are washed once a week. The people on thickened get 8 oz cups of thickened water. Most of the people on restrictions don't get any. Most water pitcher fillup passes can take about 30 minutes for 50 residents. The longest times was when we'd have to switch out cups and we'd never have enough. Or second shift didn't collect/bring them up (kitchen is closed at 11). The dementia unit does not get pitchers.

I honestly think that passing ice is a waste of time (for 3rd shift). I used to pass marked thickened liquids and they'd be there 3 days later untouched (when you pass, we're told to pick up the old cups). Especially on my old unit, there would be 4-6 people that would use the pitcher (totally give them ice/water). The rest were still full from melted water. One man would tell me, "I don't drink water." I know that 3rd shift on my other unit was the only people that passed ice even though it was supposed to be done by every shift. Honestly how will a person who is a carelift and doesn't move at all reach over to get this water?

Maybe there are some total care residents who won't ask for or attempt to reach the water, but might accept a drink if offered during rounds.

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

Hospitals and(or) Health care facilities: Do your patients still recieve water pitchers, with ice and fresh water? If so who delivers them? Nursing or some other department?

generally not with ice, but twice a day regardless by ward housekeepers ( we have housekeepers managed by the trust and cleaners managed by the FM provider) and on request by ward housekeepers / nursing staff

[Lahryn04]

At my hospital administration has changed the policy for water passes: every patient is supposed to receive an 8oz cup of water with ice q2h no matter what! Well of course we don't for pts that are fluid restricted or npoz but the cnas pass h2o q2 around the clock, they throw out the old cup when they bring the new and pts only get a 32oz jug if they request one and aren't confused! I think its a bit excessive... We are wasting so much in the long run!