Is this a reasonable request from the powers that be?

[CaptainCabinets]

I’m a nurse, I’ve worked all through Covid and lived to tell the tale. We’re a ‘clean’ ward and have been throughout the pandemic. However, the Infection Control bods (who mainly live in comfortable offices) have decreed that no water is to be kept by staff anywhere on the ward (including the front desk away from patients) and must be consumed in the staff room.

Here’s the catch: the staff room is a 3-minute walk away and is shared with other departments, including departments that have ‘dirty’ zones.

Surely we cannot be reasonably expected to work 13 hour shifts in masks and not be permitted to have a quick drink of water without walking for six minutes to get one? We also have diabetics and pregnant women among the staff.

Would we be unreasonable to get the union involved? Is this even legal?!

Ridiculous!

Bottles with enclosed lids wouldn't really be a problem.

I would flout this rule.

No it's not a reasonable ask!

Definitely one to get the Union involved in if they won't listen to reason. However, hopefully a meeting can be set up with a representative from both sides and an adult discussion can take place.

Got to love it when people who have no idea about the smaller workings and logistics of a department get to make policy changes that have no impact on them personally.

Yes get whoever is needed to sort this. Ridiculous.

Who's voted YABU?!?!

@Laiste maybe the people who voted YABU are Infection Control bots

Oh god my manager when I was a nurse tried to impose this in non COViD times ,the union had a field day with it .

Shocking! Speak to HR and your union. Nursing managers are the worst 😂

@Brieminewine our ward manager is similarly unhappy at the rule (but it doesn’t apply to her office so she’s not actually fighting it)

What's a "clean" and "dirty" ward in this context?

What do the patients drink? If they're allowed water wtf is the logic of barring staff from having any?

Oh I meant higher than ward managers I meant the powers that be @CaptainCabinets you should all group together and protest though, to allow a person a limited opportunity to drink water in a 12.5hour shift is crazy. How can the justify encouraging staff the leave the ward, what if there’s an emergency?!

@Feelingconfused2020

‘Clean’ means no Covid
‘Dirty’ means suspected or confirmed Covid.

@Brieminewine exactly! What if our nurse in charge is off walking miles for a drink and there’s a cardiac arrest? It’s a ward full of poorlies so not an unlikely scenario

I would just agree with your colleagues that you will all ignore this rule. They're not going to discipline you all are they?

That's outrageous. Collectively disregard the rule- safety in numbers. And if management get shitty bring in the unions. I would flag this issue to your union now just to make them aware in case they are needed to step in at any point. You pay your subs for a reason so you should make use of union support whenever you need.

@doctorhamster they’ll be doing ‘spot checks’ on both day and night shifts and reporting ‘offenders’, apparently!

Why do they want that?

Additionally your diabetic and pregnant colleagues may have (in my sector, education, pregnant women have to have after a certain stage) risk assessments in place. They should ask for it to be written into their RA that they need regular and unfettered access to water and for that access to solely be in a staffroom shared with red ward staff isn't acceptable or safe for them.

There’s far too many variables to make this a reasonable plan, it’s unsafe for staff and patients. I would be challenging the matrons on this and calling in the union!

Less combative and more creative solution is you all wear one of these and fill with water:
www.prezzybox.com/smuggle-your-booze-bra-inserts.aspx?glcountry=GB&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzbv7BRDIARIsAM-A6-3cep650-7gYcQUE5GZGHA_68jtD_JIIia6OzbWneMfwsfdpKghzBYaAt6VEALw_wcB

There must be a tap and disposable cups for the patients. Can't the staff use that?

Staff from covid and covid-free wards share a staff room? That can't be safe practice!

@DumplingsAndStew exactly! The whole thing is bollocks.

They are pathetic. Management bollocks!