In the NICU where I worked, they banned all food and drink - including
water. This was a JCAHO mandate based on one very poorly designed and
presented case study in which staff in one unit at one hospital contracted
hepatitis after eating food - that a patient's family had brought in. I
don't recall wether the food had been brought in from a restaurant or
prepared at home. JCAHO may have had other studies they used to develop this
mandate. "No food or drink in patient care areas" meant exactly that -
period. We placed a fridge full of water bottles in the pump room for the
mothers, but there was no drinking at the bedside.

There were days I was lucky to down a quart of water at lunch, and I
developed several UTI's and an increasing frequency in migraines due to
dehydration on the days I worked 12 hour shifts. Other staff had the same
complaints. 

The rationale for this is senseless and baseless - afterall, patients still
have to eat and drink - babies were nursed and fed bottles in a patient care
area, in other units patients were brought trays and were able to drink and
eat. For staff to not be allowed even a capped or lidded drink while working
is just plain insanity! Not even at the nurses station! 


Michelle Meeks, RN

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