Will nursing wreck my hands?

preemiepoweredRN · Mar 7, 2017

YES, your hands will take a beating, but they won't fall off, or least mine haven't after 11yrs!

The hospital soap for handwashing varies (as far as how your skin reacts to it) and the sanitizer can be pretty brutal (esp. with cuts *cringe*).

The key is to moisturize when you can and even more so on off days.

Take advantage of the hospital lotion they provide, even though it may not be something you personally would choose. It will help to some degree after 12hrs of continuously washing/sanitizing your hands. I don't think it has ever been so bad I would quit nursing over it, nor have I heard of anyone else doing so.

Good luck to you!

RNrhythm, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2017

I am fine at work but I started using lotion at home. I wear gloves when I am out in chill weather. I figure my hands suffer enough at work.

BookishBelle · Mar 10, 2017

Thanks again for all the great suggestions! Two days ago I helped a friend clean out their cat litter box using Method organic cleaner and washed five dishes in Mrs Meyers, both without gloves, and 15 minutes later had angry red raised patches and skin that felt like a sharks'. Working Hands cream helped a bit, but I still have some healing cuts. I guess I must have contact dermatitis and fragrance sensitivity more than normal, but I do think if I wear gloves and moisturize every time I wash that it should be controllable.

NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN · Mar 10, 2017

Thanks again for all the great suggestions! Two days ago I helped a friend clean out their cat litter box using Method organic cleaner and washed five dishes in Mrs Meyers, both without gloves, and 15 minutes later had angry red raised patches and skin that felt like a sharks'. Working Hands cream helped a bit, but I still have some healing cuts. I guess I must have contact dermatitis and fragrance sensitivity more than normal, but I do think if I wear gloves and moisturize every time I wash that it should be controllable.

Good golly! Organic does not mean easy on the skin. Definitely use gloves when subjecting yourself to contact with harsh chemicals. I always have a box of nitrile gloves at home for cleaning duty.

madricka, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2017

Yes! Nursing totally ruined my hands, the skin looks about 20 years older than I do! But I don't think anyone has ever left the profession because of it. My sister is also in nursing and has bad eczema flareups on her hands and she is coping just fine. Just moisturize the crap out of them -- and find a moisturizer that is non-irritating! I have a severe allergy to lanolin and some other ingredients common in lotions/creams (like fragrance) so I label read like crazy. Some brands will burn if your hands are chapped. My fav cream at work is the Gold Bond one, I will swear by it forever. It doesn't burn, a little goes a long way, it soaks in nicely (no greasy fingers!), no fragrance, and lasts through washes. At home I like the L'Occitane shea butter creams. They are very soothing but can leave you with greasy hands and they do have fragrance, not really the best option at work (but they are lovely nonetheless!). If you're super sensitive or your skin is really chapped/cracked, Aveeno baby lotion (the unscented one in the tube) is amazing, I used that at work for years before I discovered the Gold Bond one.

mrisquet · Mar 13, 2017

Use a moisturizing hand lotion. If I were you, it wouldn't be my hands I'd be concerned about. It would be my back. Having been a nurse for 26 years, my back is ruined from lifting patients. And yes, I've been trained how to lift and use a hoyer lift. I had surgery for a torn meniscus in my left knee. I suffer from DJD, Arthritis, spinal stenosis, scoliosis and sciatica. I'm in agony with my back. I even had a prolapsed bladder from lifting and needed surgery for that too plus a hernia. If you injure your back, that's basically the end of your career. It's difficult to walk or stand for long periods and back injuries are the greatest cause of disability today.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Mar 13, 2017

When I had an infant, I blindly reached for my trusty tube of bedside lotion one night when my hands were ripped apart. I didn't grab lotion, but grabbed the tube of Lansinoh and mindlessly rubbed some in (realizing right away that it was not the tube i intended to grab) It has a happy mistake. It has since become my go to for my hands when they are cracked and dry. It's a bit expensive, but you only need a dab so it lasts forever.

Jay bee · Mar 13, 2017

I found the MRSA infection to be especially troubling.

A doctor examining me in the ER (nonstop vomiting 24 h + from migraines) practiced handwashing diligently as evidenced by the raw red flesh of his hand - but apparently failed to wash above his wrists. He rested his wrist on my face while examining my pupils. The next day I developed raised red bumps where his wrist had been, and soon my face swelled up like a balloon. It happened so fast that the treating physician in my clinic couldn't tear the gloves from his hands fast enough to write the prescription for the antibiotic regime I would need to take to save my life.

The scars left behind on my face are daily reminders of the speed and voracity through which an infection can burn through skin like a wildfire.

I wash my hands and wrists with soap and water, rinsing well, and applying lotion.

BookishBelle · Mar 13, 2017

I found the MRSA infection to be especially troubling.
A doctor examining me in the ER (nonstop vomiting 24 h + from migraines) practiced handwashing diligently as evidenced by the raw red flesh of his hand - but apparently failed to wash above his wrists. He rested his wrist on my face while examining my pupils. The next day I developed raised red bumps where his wrist had been, and soon my face swelled up like a balloon. It happened so fast that the treating physician in my clinic couldn't tear the gloves from his hands fast enough to write the prescription for the antibiotic regime I would need to take to save my life.
The scars left behind on my face are daily reminders of the speed and voracity through which an infection can burn through skin like a wildfire.
I wash my hands and wrists with soap and water, rinsing well, and applying lotion.

Wow!!!