Nurses are being banned from drinking water because senior managers wrongly believe it poses an infection risk.
A survey of nurses found almost four in 10 had been forbidden by senior managers from drinking while working in areas like wards.
*shrugs* Crazy rules in hospitals? It's not the first time, is it? It's just the target this time isn't the patients...
The main reason for nurses not being allowed water, or having their bottles thrown away in their station, is the age-old belief it is against 'infection control policies'.
But no such guidance exists, NHS bosses confirmed today, despite the same issues cropping up every heatwave.
There is no proof drinking water from bottles or cups poses an infection risk.
Well, there's often no proof for whatever the idiots in the NHS top ranks dream up, and I'm afraid it's pretty hard to have one iota of sympathy for people who happily enforce them against the people in their 'care' when it suits.
One nurse told Nursing Notes, which carried out the poll: 'It seems a bit hypocritical. 'We are told to encourage our patients to stay hydrated, but matron comes around and throws away our water bottles from the nurses' station.'
Did you whine about the 'diet, you unhealthy proles!' advice the NHS dishes out while your colleagues waddled around the wards like ambulatory blimps? No?
Then why should anyone listen to you now?
I assume the managers are also prevented from drinking liquids (yes, I know it's a stupid question)?
ReplyDeleteHowever, to avoid criticism, this ruling could be renamed The Liverpool Pathway No 2.
Penseivat
Presumably it is beyond the intelligence of these people to come up with a procedure so that the nurses can stay hydrated without compromising hygiene. On my only hospital stay, patients were supplied with a jug of water every day but it was never enough. If my wife hadn't been bringing in packs of bottled water every day I would have been permanently thirsty.
ReplyDelete"...to avoid criticism, this ruling could be renamed The Liverpool Pathway No 2."
ReplyDeleteBravo! 👏👏👏
"On my only hospital stay, patients were supplied with a jug of water every day but it was never enough."
In the weather they are forecasting for next week, definitely not!