[P_RN]

I think Jolie is correct about the nails and the germs in the NICU. I believe that one of the nail wearers also had a facial creme or scrub or something at home that grew those same bugs.

What about getting the dermatologist to Rx you for a lotion. Can she stop your using a prescription?

[disher]

Originally posted by P_RN
What about getting the dermatologist to Rx you for a lotion. Can she stop your using a prescription?

I like this suggestion, first document with your occupational health department that your hands react to the hospital lotion then your employer will be required to support the dermatologist ordered lotion.

[frannybee]

One of the hospitals I did placements in while I was training had to change every hand cleanser pump in the whole hospital when they found that the handwash they'd been using was actually *breeding* pseudomonas. As far as I can remember, triclosan was implicated.

Re: petroleum products and latex, I don't think it's a very fast process, but latex gloves are not uniform in thickness and quality all over - how many times have you pulled on a glove and it's torn even though there were no long fingernails or excessive force to blame? I think the problems would start if you'd used the offending cream and pulled on a glove that had a microscopic fault or weakness that eroded faster than the rest of the glove. That would leave you with holes not visible to the naked eye, but still easily penetrable by micro-organisms.

[NurseGirlKaren]

Originally posted by NightMoonRN
Our infection control nurse came out with a policy that forbids us from using lipgloss in any patient area. We are closet lipglossers! Nail polish is a no-no also.

I hope she doesn't belong to allnurses because hand cream will be next! We'll be doing all our creaming and glossing in the bathroom! Keep it quiet will you?

NO NO NO, you don't understand the infection control issue!! You are not supposed to kiss your patients!! The lip gloss promotes bacterial overgrowth and then you kiss your patient and therefore contaminate them.

Ok, I don't get it. No lip gloss? You've got to be kidding me. What's the issue with lip gloss?

[nurse-lou]

Originally posted by altomga
At my place of employment we aren't allowed to use our own hand lotions either b/c of "infection control". They say some lotions actually promote bacterial growth due to the ingredients that are in them. They supply us with this less than desirable lotion that to me makes your hands drier than before....but what do we know?

Same at my hospital. But that CHG soap that's plastered on the wall in pt rooms eats at my hands something fierce. Then when I put on that crap lotion they supply, I get a small red pin-point rash on the tops of my hands that burns like heck! Vaseline even makes my hands burn when they get like that. There 's some stuff that we have at work made by Sensicare for skin care that doesn't break me out. And Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa collection, Look Ma New Hands is wonderful!

[liberalrn]

LOL re: the lip gloss! Frankly, you try to come between me and my vaseline or lipstick and someone will get hurt!

I think this glove degradation is an urban myth--you wear the gloves for like 10 minutes, tops. I re and reglove due to soiling or sweating in the latex (hate that feeling). Maybe in OR--but don't they also reglove? And besides, it's well nigh impossible to put gloves on with hands moist from fresh lotion....you wait for it to dry! I will need more substantial evidence before I change my practice.

[MicheleRN2000]

At our hospital, they tell us not to wear heavy perfumes, but the lotion they provide us not only doesn't work, but smells like a bunch of flowers...much more heavy than any perfume I've smelled on anyone! Sounds like the IC nurse hasn't worked too much in the clinical setting.

[sjoe]

frannie writes: "My new fave is Neutrogena Norwegian Formula, goes a long way to repairing the damage 100 handwashes a day can do."

It's the best. I learned about it when I was a seaman.

[Dublin37]

I say hide the stuff in your socks orrrrrrrrrrr paint it pink, add some ribbons, shove it up in our adorable nurse-do's! Heck, she'll be complimenting, right before you're lubricating!
Heather

[tory]

During our hospital orientation last summer, Infection Control said the same thing to us. I raised the question because I, too, have eczema and use what my dermatologist suggests I use. Her answer was that most other lotions have a compound in them that detriorates the integrity of the gloves. She said that if I got a not from my dr. and the name of the product he recommends, they would "look into it" for me. In the meantime, I've noticed a lot of RN's carry pocket size lotions in their pocket. One nurse even brought in a pump bottle and hid it in the med room. I never did follow-up on it with IC because I didn't want to draw attention to myself and have the "lotion police" spy on me.