Nurses are regularly forced to work shifts without drinking and eating because they do not have time to take a break, a new study has found.
The survey by journal Nursing Standard found that three quarters of nurses said there was no time for a break during one or two shifts every week.
More than half said they are regularly unable to have a drink of water while 57% said they did not have access to healthy or nutritious food at work.
One nurse said she had even received treatment for kidney stones because she had not been able to drink enough fluid. Another told of having a ‘total meltdown’ and suicidal thoughts because of work pressures.
Around 2,000 nurses responded to the survey – with many describing a lack of breaks, excessive workloads, hunger and dehydration as among the factors affecting their well being. One said: ‘I can’t leave the ward to go to the canteen due to a lack of staff.’
Kim Sunley, national officer for the RCN, said the findings make ‘very hard reading’.
She said: ‘It is sad that not taking breaks seems to now have become “the norm”. ‘Obviously in a crisis or emergency, absolutely, you wouldn’t go on your break, but when it becomes the norm that you don’t, that is unsustainable and leads to sick, exhausted and worn out nurses.’ The topic of hydration is due to be debated at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) annual conference in Belfast.
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