Getting blood on your hands

[ribeyesteak]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to introduce myself: I'm 37 yo, male, and looking to switch careers from engineering to health care. I am taking the pre-req courses for nursing and other health sciences at a local community college. So far, I like it. I have a few concerns, though. I have a nasty habit of picking the cuticles off my thumbs. I know other people do this as well; however, in my case it can be particularly bad. So bad that my wife often gawks at my thumbs. I hope you guys get the picture--basically, there are open sores on my thumbs. Anyways, my concern is working with patients with infectious, blood borne diseases. You know: HIV, hepatitis, etc... So, I was wondering (this is probably a stupid, obvious question), how often do you guys get blood on your hands? Do you guys were gloves that prevent blood from seeping in? I think I would need latex gloves that go up to my forearms.

It's a really big concern for me. I think some of you guys are probably laughing at me, but oh well, these are things I need to consider. Also, on a related note, is it possible to shadow nurses, etc... at the hospital? I know there used to be candy strippers, but I haven't heard about those volunteers in a long time. I think it would be good for me to get some exposure before I do a career change. Thoughts?

[mindlor]

yeah picking is kinda like pulling the offending object out of a puncture wound, not a good idea......

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

CANDY STRIPERS, not strippers!!! lol! I hope ur wife isn't reading this!

Treat everybody as infectious. Universal precautions apply (the WHO keeps changing the term but it all means the same). I don't touch anyone without gloves. I've seen nurses clean faeces and everything else inbetween without gloves, do bloods (an older RN did this only last week) - UGGH!!! Always carry a pair of gloves in ur pocket, & there are usually gloves on the wall in patient's rooms/drug room etc. I've also seen people wear 2 layers of gloves.

I double glove whenever I am going to give a supp. Not a good time for a glove to tear.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I am a compulsive picker. I try to always make sure to have gloves on if I am going to come in contact with blood, if it was an emergency situation I probably would end up risking it. I can't imagine to many situations though where you wouldn't be able to throw on gloves real quick to protect yourself. I have gotten blood on my forearm before but I didn't have any open cuts or anything on that area. I can't stand to pick at other people. Just myself. lol

In the ED where I am at if a unexpected Code happens there is someone that will be tossing gloves at people. ( I was doing it my last shift) If it's a Trauma Standby then everyone will get ready in full trauma clothes while waiting for the ambulance or chopper to arrive.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

A dentist friend of mine told me that when she was in dental school (in the 70's) they didn't use gloves.

Dude, those dinosaur-days are long gone. Any time you touch a client in the hospital setting you need to wear gloves -even keep a pair in your scrub pockets. You're not doing anyone favors when you palpate one client's c.diff infested wrist, and then go on to fiddle with another client's IV, nevermind not getting yourself sick.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_precautions

It hasn't been that long ago :)

[Sewbusy~RN]

Well I usually put gloves on immediately when I walk into a patients room, but accidents do happen. I've has urine splash back from a catheter when I was clamping it in to the bag and pushed too hard (gross), I've had a patient projectile vomit on me. I've had blood spatter across the wall from a patient that pulled his own drain out. In the winter my knuckles crack and bleed from the dry air and from washing them hundreds of times a day. I use special soap from employee health, I use creams and lotions, but I can't ever get it totally under control until spring. It worries me sometimes I guess. One thing to remember is that gloves are actually slightly porous and they do break, so you can't really trust them 100%. I actually double glove when I give suppositories or clean feces, so I can quickly take off the outer pair when it becomes contaminated. Blood and other bodily fluids are just job hazards you deal with as an RN, and at some point it just doesn't really worry you so much. I just follow standard/universal protocol and pray :)

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

A dentist friend of mine told me that when she was in dental school (in the 70's) they didn't use gloves.

Dude, those dinosaur-days are long gone. Any time you touch a client in the hospital setting you need to wear gloves -even keep a pair in your scrub pockets. You're not doing anyone favors when you palpate one client's c.diff infested wrist, and then go on to fiddle with another client's IV, nevermind not getting yourself sick.

I'm not going to wear gloves for any contact with a patient. If there is a risk of bodily fluids I will but not just for regular things. If I palpate a patients wrist I will be washing my hands before handling another patient. I will be washing my hands. Before each patient and after each patient whether I touch them or not. Do you know all the stuff youre going to get on your gloves if you keep a spare pair in your pockets?