Why do nurses hold their pee?
Nurses have the largest capacity bladder among the sexes, or so it seems. If I had a dime for every time that I hear nurses complain, “I was so busy I didn’t use the bathroom once” or on the twelfth hour to comment, “This is the first time I’m using the bathroom since I came to work”. Busy, we are but not even a bathroom break now that is unacceptable!
The urinary bladder is designed to hold about 150-350 ml comfortably but like all other parts of the body, adjustments are made to accommodate use and abuse. That being said, we all have stories of being in public and having to hold our pee for hours because of scarcity of a bathroom. In the clinical setting, in cases of urinary retention, the capacity of the distended bladder can be increased up to 10 folds.
Is holding your pee bad for you?
There are really no detrimental effects in the short term for nurses who run about with a full bladder. It is uncomfortable initially but there is very minimal risk of trauma, death or having the bladder rupture. However, over time excess stretching of the bladder wall can result in incomplete emptying and incontinence.
There is also, the risk of urinary tract infections. The bladder can become a breeding ground for bacteria if urine is sitting there for long periods. In some cases, the infection can lead to chronic inflammation of the bladder or travel to the kidneys. Male nurses can face the added problem of inflammation of their prostate gland.
Why not peeing is a sign of bigger issues
Nurses beware. Holding onto your pee for long hours may be indicative of more telling issues like self neglect and being able to ignore your biological signals. It may be a stretch to infer unhealthy life threatening practices from just holding your pee. Maybe not, but listen up.
If nurses aren’t peeing 4-5 times during a 12 hour shift that means they are not taking in enough fluid to start with. That goal of 8-10 glasses of water is not being met. We all know that water is vital for survival and bodily functions but water is also needed for brain function, specifically cognition and mood.
Next time you are feeling you can’t focus and getting grouchy, try taking a water and bathroom break. Secondly, tuning out the body’s signals is never good practice. In the short term, it may be convenient to delay meeting one’s physical needs. For example, consuming a large amount of caffeine to compensate for inadequate sleep may prove helpful for a shift or two. This long term numbing of sleepiness cues can contribute to sleep disorders later.
Being attuned to signals from the body is absolutely critical in identifying subtle changes that can be ominous signs. Our bodies are pretty good at communicating when something is wrong but if we practice turning a deaf ear, sooner or later the signals fade.