Blood, Bodily Fluids and Germs OH MY!

pockunit, ADN, RN · Nov 27, 2010

Bring a change of clothes and put them on before you leave work? Other than showering at work if you can, I got nothing.

Anisettes, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2010

I work in the OR now, so I don't wear anything from home to work and vice versa. OR shoes stay at work, I wear supplied scrubs, etc... BUT back when I was in ED/Trauma Resus, I used to peel everything off in the garage (where the washing machine was and drop it in there - WITH the windowless garage door closed I feel I must add) and put on a robe that I always had hanging there. Then off to shower and that robe went back on the hook in the garage.

Shoes always stayed at work then as well, but then even if I'd worn them home, ALL shoes always came off at the door (hubby was asian and had exaggerated fits if anybody dared to traipse into the house with 'outdoor' shoes), so shoes were never an issue.

I don't think it's exaggerated to not want to wear things covered with other peoples fluids into your home. Either I had bad luck or was an anomaly, but I frequently used to get blood, or lugies or other nasty stuff on myself during a shift EVEN with cover gowns - reaching and stretching and crouching leaves exposed areas. Hell no, I didn't want to take that home. And after 20+ years, I will still NOT get into my bed without a shower after work anymore than I would go to bed with make-up on my face. You're not weird or have OCD.

RNJill · Nov 27, 2010

ALWAYS take my uniform off immediately after I get home and ALWAYS shower after my shift. I also have recently felt the need to start spraying off my shoes with Lysol a few times a week also...don't know how much it really helps, but it makes me feel better!

allnurses Guide · Nov 27, 2010

I always change clothes and take a shower! I imagine what my scrubs would look like under a black light though nothing is visible -- ewww (can you tell I watch Forensic Files a lot? :))

Lisa, MA · Nov 27, 2010

I think what grosses me out the most is that I know of other nurses and docs who don't think twice about this issue.

I remember when my daughter was a baby, I would pick her up from daycare and drive home. She would sit in her little carrier until I was done showering and then she would get her bath right after.

But I have friends who would go home to their families and go about the rest of their day having neither changed clothes or showering. YUCK

Anisettes....we never wear shoes in our house either. It is a habit I learned from my own mom. Although I can't tell you how many times people have been "offended" when I've asked them to remove their shoes at the door. Oh well!

SlightlyMental_RN · Nov 27, 2010

I guess I'm not overly-anal about this. I take my shoes off at the door and then walk to my master bath to change out of my scrubs. The only times I've taken a shower immediately after work have been: patient on lactulose that repeatedly didn't make it to the bathroom and dripped all over everything and when my patient has lice or scabies (which sooooo gross me out.)

RaziRN · Nov 27, 2010

I wipe my stethoscope down with our all purpose "kills everything" caustic surface wipes before leaving work. I also wash my hands right before clocking out. When I get home I remove my shoes and leave them on the porch (my dad who has OCD actually sprays my work shoes with clorox daily). I then strip in my bedroom leaving my scrubs on the floor and I wash my hair and shower.

There is no way I would come home and not shower before getting in bed. I get coughed on, sneezed on and deal with all manner of body fluids. I get blood, feces, NG tube drainage, lactulose poo, C-diff, MRSA on me all the time I'm sure and don't even realize it.

That's my immune system in the corner eyeing you to see if you need to attacked and taken down!

jesskalpn · Nov 27, 2010

Yeah, I'm with SlightlyMental_RN on this one...I take my shoes off at the door, and the only time I take a shower right after working is when I have been spilled on in some fashion.

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Nov 27, 2010

I think you all would be amazed to find many of these same "bugs" on your shoes or clothing when coming home from any department store. I consider myself clean and closely follow handwashing procedures but I don't feel the need to get nuts about all of it. After 25+ years, I have never brought home anything and my family & I seem to have an excellent immune system.

I've got this cashier in my local grocery store that insists on wearing latex gloves in the winter. I finally asked one time what the point of that was and she told me she didn't wanna get sick. Tried to casually ask her if that was expensive to buy gloves all the time for work and she replied something to the effect of she wears the same pair for a couple of days so a whole box easily lasts her the entire winter. Now THAT is nasty (and I now avoid her line)!. Those gloves are very very filthy just to look at.

wooh, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2010

Yep, the people at the hospital, that we're so afraid of their germs, they go out in the same world we go out in! And they probably don't wash their hands as much as we do.

I'm not saying that I'll climb into bed and snuggle with an incontinent cdiffer, then climb into my bed wearing the same clothes. But I wash my hands at work. Wear the gown and gloves when I'm supposed to. I probably got more germs on me when I worked fast food and handled thousands of dollars in cash each day that had been in who knows how many wet pockets and shoes and other gross places people keep their money.

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2010

You are more likely to pick up MRSA from the carts at Walmart.

I change out of my uniform right away, and try not to go any where on the way home in it. If I do have to stop in somewhere, I try to keep my jacket on.

I personally think this business of stripping down in the garage before entering your home is a bit of an overkill.

Think of this. You wear the same jacket to work that you wear home, right? And then you probably wear that same jacket over your regular clothes. So that jacket probably has germs on it.