Can someone explain that business about sanitary products and hospital workers

[Ohmycron]

I don’t understand why they just can’t take a big pack in in case they run short like everyone else does

Have I missed something.

@senua because those uppity women keep getting ideas above their station

It's trivial fuss and drama when there are so many much bigger things we need to worry about.

It's not trivial when you've got blood running down your fucking legs and you don't know when you can get to the toilet

Trilley well I'd obviously ask to take a break and go and clean myself up.

I understand this is an issue for some women and it obviously needs to be addressed. I was just explaining what I do, its worked for me for 18 years. I'd having San Pro in toilets helps some women then great but I shouldn't be bashed and mocked for simply saying how I manage my period.

As a healthcare prof, I can categorically assure you than I can’t just go to the loo at will. I suffer with very heavy periods and am always double padded with night pads and I still need to change every 2 hours. It’s a nightmare.

@gogohm.

Assume you think the same should apply to toilet paper then - if not why not???

If men had periods, pads and tampons would be as freely available as toilet paper.
Both serve the same purpose , to deal with normal bodily functions .

@whysitspicey

This is the same in many occupations not just hospitals - factory's, hospitality etc have scheduled breaks and you can't leave in between. My dd learned the hard way and bought period knickers

@Starynight282

Trilley well I'd obviously ask to take a break and go and clean myself up.

I understand this is an issue for some women and it obviously needs to be addressed. I was just explaining what I do, its worked for me for 18 years. I'd having San Pro in toilets helps some women then great but I shouldn't be bashed and mocked for simply saying how I manage my period.

The problem is that you implied that others were failing because they weren't bothering to use their initiative.

Also that sometimes it isn't as easy as just asking to take a break, because of the nature of the work HCPs do.

@Ohmycron

Really? Seems unlikely !! Surely you take a piss somewhere

In the acute mental health unit I was working at as a nurse 24 years ago, I would often come off duty realising I had not been to the toilet since just before I went on duty. As I imagine it's even more hectic now than it was then, I can fully believe nurses are so busy they can't get to the loo. It's really unhealthy but I couldn't do anything about it then so, unless this is dealt with at management level, I can also imagine nurses are just having to get on with it and hold on like I did then. It is wrong. I also remember even further back, over 30 years ago, the Staff Nurse in charge of our ward had a heavy bleed and breakthrough; she phoned the Nursing officer to see could she go home as her outer clothes were soiled and she felt very unwell but they really did not want her to. She had to beg and was very upset, it was awful. Then she had to wait whilst they found another qualified nurse to take over from her, as the rest of the staff, all two of us, were only student nurses. I felt really sorry for her. Nurses have been dealing with difficult and even unhealthy and almost abusive working conditions for decades.

[quote gogohm]@whysitspicey

This is the same in many occupations not just hospitals - factory's, hospitality etc have scheduled breaks and you can't leave in between. My dd learned the hard way and bought period knickers [/quote]
How often do they not get those breaks?

FusciasBright21 I'm not disagreeing with the need for sanpro in toilets but would anyone actually have blood pouring down their legs and not just speak up and get it sorted? Is there a manager anywhere in the NHS who would say no, you have to wait until your designated break time? Genuinely, if there is and thats what some women are having to deal with then it's absolutely appauling and thankfully not something that I've experienced in any of the trusts I've worked in. Even when scrubbed for theatre you could swop out to clean yourself up.

@MananaTomorrow pockets are the perfect place for pads and realistically they wouldn’t easily fall out. Just sounds like excuses. Yes places sound have pads, tampons in etc but they don’t have the money. Just carry pads with you. It’s not hard. I can still carry pens and what not In my pocket with pads.

Trilley Well I apologise for that. I do understand that some women with heavy, unpredictable flows might struggle. I just meant that using my initiative has meant that it's never been an issue for me but I didn't mean to imply that others have failed.

2Gen that's appalling!

@CharlotteRose90 indeed toilet paper can very easily be carried around in pockets too.

So do you think this also should be the case for toilet paper?

Or could it be that we’re talking about a bodily function that only women experience? Which makes it somehow different because….erm…???

@FusciasBright21

It's trivial fuss and drama when there are so many much bigger things we need to worry about.

It's not trivial when you've got blood running down your fucking legs and you don't know when you can get to the toilet

Exactly! How fortunate for that one she's never been in that position eh? It doesn't excuse the callousness though! It's also very, very unhealthy to not go for a wee and hold it for the duration of a shift, day after day, as I often did in the last place I worked before having DS 24 years ago but I suppose people who have never worked as nurses or HCAs have no conception of what it can be like. I suppose one has to have done it or be doing it to really understand but I still find the comment you responded to very hard-hearted. Fair play to you for telling her!

I also found it a bit weird, I think it's time for breaks rather than products that are the issue surely. I work in hospital and my locker is on third floor and my clinic room ground floor. Can't always get there. My scrubs have pockets though, they are reversible so have a hidden internal pocket. Alternatively you could also wear a money /running pocket belt underneath if needed.

It's ok. Next time I'm in the middle of an arrest call. I will just walk out of the situation to go change/insert my pad/tampon. It's not that simple.

As previous poster - mental health - explained, in some situations it is not feasible to leave , even if it's for 5 mins.

No a theatre nurse in the middle of an operation can't just leave.

Christ we had to fight for ppe , now we fight for sanpro.

I know the problem needs to be sorted properly in the long term, but in the short term are you allowed to wear anything under scrubs? I'm thinking of those stretchy waist belts runners put their phones in or travellers put their money in under their clothes.

@simonisnotme

Im not convinced that they are so busy all the time that they cant go for a wee

I can assure you it can and does happen and often happened to me in the last place I worked. See my other comments.

Littleducks I agree, you could have all the sanpro in the world but if you can't take a toilet break then it would make no difference!

@sixtiesbaby88

I know the problem needs to be sorted properly in the long term, but in the short term are you allowed to wear anything under scrubs? I'm thinking of those stretchy waist belts runners put their phones in or travellers put their money in under their clothes.

Tired that. Was bollocked by infection control. Even though it was under my scrub top.

My hospital provides them in all staff toilets including the men’s toilets so we’re inclusive. If I’ve been in one part of the hospital then have a meeting in a different part I won’t have my bag with me so it’s very useful on the odd occasion my timings don’t work out but I wear a tampon and towel to give me flex incase of leaks.

[quote FFSFFSFFS]@CharlotteRose90 indeed toilet paper can very easily be carried around in pockets too.

So do you think this also should be the case for toilet paper?

Or could it be that we’re talking about a bodily function that only women experience? Which makes it somehow different because….erm…???[/quote]
Actually it should probably be kept in the pocket because most hospital toilets I’ve been too don’t have paper.

The nhs can’t afford to pay for sanitary stuff . There’s other resources it should be spent on. And then if they did get the funds then where does it stop. Schools, offices, colleges etc, it’s an argument that can’t be stopped . Sanitary stuff doesn’t cost a lot these days and you can carry it with you.

Some comments on this thread beggar belief, the whole ' well I manage ok so what's wrong with those of you that can't?' attitude. Pretty depressing actually.

I agree.

When I was working as a teacher in a mainstream setting I rarely went to the toilet as the staff toilets were quite a distance away. I knew one teacher should wet herself.
I now work in an SEND unit which is much smaller and there’s a toilet close by and I have a TA so it’s much easier to go.

I’ve never had an issue with flooding or coming on my period unexpectedly but I know some women do and it’s a basic human right that they should be able to use the toilet and change their san pro.