Hydrated Healthy Nurses
Hot summer months combined with long busy shifts can result in dehydration. Dehydration could lead to feeling sluggish, decreased concentration, headache, constipation and dizziness. Health benefits from drinking enough water throughout the day include increased energy, decreased appetite, clear skin and improved bowel function.
Here are some tips on staying hydrated at work or outdoors:
- Keep a refillable bottle of water with you so that you can refill the bottle throughout the day.
- To spruce up your water, add lemon slices, lime slices, berries, herbs or veggie slices such as celery. This will flavor your water without added chemicals or artificial flavors or sugar as found in sodas and diet drinks.
- If you have trouble remembering to drink water throughout your busy shift, set a reminder on your phone or schedule it like you do medication administration.
- Many workplaces are not allowing for water bottles at the nurses’ station or on the medication cart due to infection control reasons. Encourage hydration stations at the workplace to enhance easy access to water throughout the day.
- During breaks eat fruits, such as watermelon, that contain high levels of water content in them.
- If you find yourself sweating a lot at work or outdoors, be sure to add electrolytes to the water.
Happy hydration at work and outdoors!!
Buffy Reilly, MSN, RN, CNE and the Healthy Nurse, Healthy New Jersey Team
**Win a Danum Fruit Infuser Water Bottle and a Daily Hydration Journal to help you stay hydrated by sending an email to email@example.com describing how you incorporate the information in this message to become a healthier New Jersey nurse. Two Healthy New Jersey Nurses will win.
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American Academy of Family Physicians. (2017). Hydration: Why is it so important. Retrieved from https://familydoctor.org/hydration-why-its-so-important/
Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation. (2017). Stay hydrated on the job. Retrieved from https://engage.healthynursehealthynation.org/blogs/4/376