Doctors shouldn't be drinking coffee on ICU rounds at hospital
I am writing in regard to the Sunday, July 18, story about central line infections. I was reading along, impressed about the improvements in central line infection control. Then I turned to continue the story and the picture shows the MDs and nurse standing outside the patient’s room in the ICU rounding. I was appalled to see a cup of coffee on the computer station they roll around with them during rounds!
Is this not an infection control issue? Not only is it a violation of infection control, most of the patients in an ICU cannot eat or drink so it is also very rude. I give kudos for the improvement in the central line infection rate. However I urge the infection control management to address the issue of MDs drinking coffee or anything else on rounds.
Freda J. McGovern, RN Willis
Comments
Wolverine3660
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 10:22 a.m.
Freda, the last time I was a patient at the U-M ICU( I am a brain tumor patient), they wouldnt allow me a drink of water!!! I was dying of thirst, but, they kept blowing off my requests. They finally brought be a cup of ice-cubes to suck on, after about 8 hours of my being there,only when I began to rip off the IV tubes and the electrodes off my chest, and was trying to run to the nearest water fountain to quench my thirst. The Nurses and Residents on duty that day were rude as all hell too.