[canoehead]

Originally Posted by TNRNMAN

I have seen nurses answer the phone, grab a bite of food and go directly in a room and attempt to begin to change a dressing without gloves on SHE WAS STOPPED OF COURSE. :

Ask me if I've had a break today

[Hellllllo Nurse]

Originally Posted by TNRNMAN

I have to admit as well that I have not read all the responces of this thread, so if someone has already said this I am sorry and here goes, I am a former Infection Control Nurse and I did a Handwashing survey during my time, I found that Most nurses DO NOT wash there hands the way the CDC recommends and it is showing up in patients and ORs etc etc I have seen nurses answer the phone, grab a bite of food and go directly in a room and attempt to begin to change a dressing without gloves on SHE WAS STOPPED OF COURSE. That would seem to be an extreme example but its not it happens more times than not. I personally hate the button idea, but it is the attempt of some over zealous person attempting to make handwashing percentage come up, that is better done with showing nurses the facts, reminding and signs and one on one with known offenders it can take a 28% rate to 96 or higher if you do it in a professional and informative non-insulting way, we are very busy people and sometime we just need to be reminded. The 10 top reasons patients get hospital acquired infections are connected to your hands and thats a FACT. Sorry its still in me I can't help my self.

You know what would really improve rates of handwashing and infection control?

Proper staffing, so nurses have time to properly wash their hands.

Personally, I use a clippy that holds a small bottle of
Purel onto the neck of my scrub top. I refill it QD.

[cotjockey]

Originally Posted by DusktilDawn

AAAHHHAAA, but did you wash you hands after scratching them?
Sorry couldn't resist.

Confucius say...Man who scratch *** should not bite fingernails...

[DusktilDawn]

Originally Posted by cotjockey

Confucius say...Man who scratch *** should not bite fingernails...

He also say "He who goes to bed with itchy bum often wake up with sticky fingers."

[epiphany]

Originally Posted by TNRNMAN

The 10 top reasons patients get hospital acquired infections are connected to your hands and thats a FACT. Sorry its still in me I can't help my self.

Why is it when things have to be fixed, they have be fixed on the back of nurses? Along the lines of what Hellllo Nurse pointed out, how about the FACT that patient outcomes are improved when the patient ratio is improved?

[jnette]

My question to all this is "what happens to the nurse who outright refuses to wear this ludicrous button?"

May the nurse refuse? Can he/she be terminated for refusing ?

Everyone here says they would refuse (myself included), but I'd be interested in knowing just what consequences to expect for doing so, and how "legal" these consequences are... or are not.

[TNRNMAN]

Originally Posted by canoehead

Ask me if I've had a break today

I agree totally with needing to have more staff and more time for breaks I am a staff nurse in a very busy ICU, but it comes down to DO NO HARM and yes there is harm done lots of time with understaffing, I know all about the statistics DUH, but that does not excuse a simple task like cleaning your hands before you touch a patient, how long does that take, excuses is what kills people. I think that when we conpromise what is proven to cause harm for ridiculous excuse we are not looking out for the patient. We are looking out for ourselves and that is not what nursing should be when it gets down to safety, yes we need better staffing that is a FACT, but that does not excuse sloppy harmful work. Consider my eyes rolled>>>>:

[daisybaby]

Originally Posted by jnette

My question to all this is "what happens to the nurse who outright refuses to wear this ludicrous button?"

May the nurse refuse? Can he/she be terminated for refusing ?

As the buttons were being handed out, I asked my manager point blank, "Are we required to wear these?" her reply was no, but we were really encouraged to wear them. I told her that while I understood the point of the campaign was to increase hand hygiene, I felt that the methods chosen were insulting to our professional staff, and as such I would not be participating. I think she understood.

I am all for handwashing awareness- but instead of making the nurses wear big buttons, I'd rather see colorful posters in the halls, near the sinks, etc. asking everyone- staff, patients, and visitors- to wash up. I cannot tell you how many pt's I have gotten up and to the BR who do their business and try to leave without washing their hands. If they try to scoot out before lathering up, I turn on the faucet and say, "let me get you a towel so you can wash your hands." Then I stand in the doorway until they do it.

[jnette]

Originally Posted by daisybaby

As the buttons were being handed out, I asked my manager point blank, "Are we required to wear these?" her reply was no, but we were really encouraged to wear them. I told her that while I understood the point of the campaign was to increase hand hygiene, I felt that the methods chosen were insulting to our professional staff, and as such I would not be participating. I think she understood.

I am all for handwashing awareness- but instead of making the nurses wear big buttons, I'd rather see colorful posters in the halls, near the sinks, etc. asking everyone- staff, patients, and visitors- to wash up. I cannot tell you how many pt's I have gotten up and to the BR who do their business and try to leave without washing their hands. If they try to scoot out before lathering up, I turn on the faucet and say, "let me get you a towel so you can wash your hands." Then I stand in the doorway until they do it.

Thanx for the reply, and for the remainder of this most excellent post.

I agree with all you have stated above... good job !

[NewStu]

I think the required button wearing is a insult. Just another way for administrators to slam nurses. It's sickening.