Joint Commission Says “No Drinks at the Nurses’ Station” Is an Urban Myth—And Debunks It

If your nursing unit hears that the Joint Commission (JC) is on its way to pay a visit, you may be well accustomed to the dire warning that you have to clear all cups from the nursing station or else.

During my time at the bedside, I well remember the panic as our nurse manager would warn us all that we better not have any beverages at the nurse's station, and if we did and they happened to be uncovered, we would basically be committing an unforgiveable double crime that we would never recover from.

So imagine my surprise to see that the Joint Commission itself has officially set the record straight on how it feels about beverages at the nurses' station—and via Facebook, of all places, because of course it would be on Facebook. 

The Joint Commission Speaks Out

On January 28, 2026, on its own Facebook post about a partnership with the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) about the new Regulatory & Accreditation Micro-Credential, the Joint Commission responded to a comment that seemed to mock the JC's reputation for policing cups and lids at the nurses' station:

Source: Joint Commission/Facebook

Color us shocked, because we did not have the JC setting the record straight about coffee cups at the nurses' station on our 2026 bingo card, but we aren't mad to hear about it! 

Where Did the Cup and Lid 'Myth' Come From? 

Honestly, it's not clear where this common belief came from, but if you're a nurse, chances are, you've heard of it. For years, many nurses have been told that “The Joint Commission bans food and drinks at the nurses’ station,” often framed as a non‑negotiable accreditation requirement. 

This belief has been reinforced by workplace rumors, social media posts, and even satire articles that many clinicians encounter during training and orientation.

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What the Joint Commission Actually Requires

So if the "mandate" to avoid cups and ensure lids at the nurses' station didn't originate with the Joint Commission, what exactly does the organization require? 

According to our research, Joint Commission standards focus on whether organizations comply with applicable laws and regulations, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, not on micromanaging the presence of coffee cups on unit desks. 

 

The Joint Commission's leadership standards (for example, LD.04.01.01) require organizations to follow licensure requirements and regulations and to manage safety risks in the environment of care, but they do not specify “no beverages at nurses’ stations.” 

In FAQ guidance, the Joint Commission states that health care organizations may allow staff food and drink in work areas if they evaluate risks and ensure those areas are not reasonably likely to be contaminated by blood or other potentially infectious materials.

The actual guidance states: "Eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics or lip balm, and handling contact lenses are prohibited in work areas where there is a reasonable likelihood of occupational exposure" and "Food and drink shall not be kept in refrigerators, freezers, shelves, cabinets or on countertops or benchtops where blood or other potentially infectious materials are present."

In other words, if you're not potentially exposed to infectious materials at your nurses' station, the JC technically doesn't ban eating or drinking there, or stashing your coffee cup there either. 

Where the Confusion Comes

Based on the guidance, OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard is the real source of the familiar prohibition language. 

The regulation requires employers to prohibit eating and drinking “in work areas where there is a reasonable likelihood of occupational exposure” to blood or other potentially infectious materials, or where contamination of work surfaces is likely. 

OSHA has clarified that employers must assess specific locations, as nurses’ stations, to determine if they are sufficiently separated from contamination risks, and may allow beverages there if it is not reasonable to anticipate occupational exposure in that particular space.

Additionally, individual workplaces and even more niche, individual units, can set their own policies regarding food and drink at the nurses' station. 

Leaders may choose more restrictive rules to simplify enforcement, reduce perceived liability, or standardize practice across diverse units, which is why bedside staff often experience “no drinks at the nurses’ station” as a universal rule even though it is actually an organization-specific policy rather than a Joint Commission mandate.

So, there you have it, nurses: if you're not allowed to eat or drink or even keep your coffee cup at the nurse's station, it's time to talk to your manager, because it's officially not the Joint Commission's fault, and apparently, they're tired of being blamed! 

🤔Nurses, share your thoughts about this below.