If you haven’t drank water today, this is your reminder. Water is the body’s vital resource, keeping our organs healthy and functioning. However, it can be hard to take a sip when nurses’ schedules keep them busy.
Nurses stay active and moving, so drinking water to hydrate is important to avoid dehydration. Even mild dehydration can hurt nurses’ work performance by reducing their cognitive function and concentration.
Drinking water is a basic human need everyone shares. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done when we know to drink water but find it hard to do so at an ER shift. Read on to learn how to stay hydrated while tending to patients.
What Happens When You Don’t Stay Hydrated?
Even though nurses may look fine on the outside when they avoid drinking water, a lack of sufficient water intake can lead to fatigue, headaches, and dark urine.
Other common signs of dehydration include:
- Dizziness
- Sore throat
- Bad breath or halitosis
- Dry mouth
Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) can also increase the effects of dehydration.
Avoiding hydration is a common theme in the healthcare space. In a 2016 study, 45% of doctors and nurses who participated reported being dehydrated at the end of their shift.
How Much Water Do I Need to Drink?
A common piece of advice you’ve heard somewhere is that everyone should drink around eight glasses of water a day. This recommendation is false, and the amount of water you need to consume depends on your body weight, outside temperature, and how much you’re moving. In reality, you want to drink water when you’re thirsty so that you’re not going to the bathroom too much.
Your Needs Come First
Before reaching for your nearest water bottle, know that you deserve to take a few seconds out of your shift to take a sip of water. Hydrating yourself can give you the energy to finish your workday without burning out.
Putting yourself as a priority is crucial because drinking water isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity. Nurses strive to make the best decisions for their patients in your care, and taking care of yourself also means you get to end your shift feeling physically and mentally balanced.
Have a Water Bottle with You
That being said, it’s also nice to have a water bottle accessible so that you’re not running to the water fountain for a drink. A reusable bottle with a straw or spout is convenient for a couple of sips in between seeing patients. You can even try out a water bottle with measurements so you know how much water you’re drinking.
Carry Snacks That are Hydrating
Drinking water is the conventional advice for hydration, but snacks that are water-based can also help avoid dehydration.
Fruits, jello, and anything with water can help even tea or coffee. Some nurses carry grapes and other fruits high in water with them so that they have something to munch on, too.
Oranges, mandarins, strawberries, and watermelons are also high in water content. For some variety, hydrating veggies include carrot sticks, celery, and cucumber.
Use Hydration Packs to Flavor Water
Although water is the go-to beverage recommended for thirst, not everyone appreciates the bland flavor. If this sounds like you, then go for hydration packets. It can also replace sugary sodas that aren’t healthy in the long term.
Hydration packs often come in packs of several one-use drink mixes you can dump into your water and mix to get the fruity taste you want. Unlike sports drinks loaded with sodium, these hydration packs, or hydration multipliers, can carry essential nutrients to the body in addition to electrolytes. They taste good, so they’re a useful addition when we’d rather avoid water.
Staying hydrated is an essential form of self-care. Our bodies and minds need to stay sharp and focused during chaotic shifts. There is no easy, one-size-fits-all approach to drinking water, but there are ways to make it accessible so that you can stay safe.
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