Hi everyone. I'm in week 9 of a 50-week LPN program. Today at clinicals (Long-Term Care) I got a chance to observe the facility's wound care nurse. There was a new admission, someone who's stayed at the facility before for care of pressure ulcers. Her entire 'bottom' is in various stages of breakdown, and she also has sores on both heels. Seeing the ulcers wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, until the nurse started putting a new dressing on. She applied Silvadene gel to 4x4s and placed them on the patient, without putting gloves on! I don't know what is going on in this woman's head...she used gloves to remove the old dressing and clean the wounds, why would she not wear them to place the new dressing? Maybe she thinks she's immune to bloodborne pathogens or something? Or that body fluids are less 'icky' after the wounds are flushed with saline? Maybe she has some magic handwashing technique that's guaranteed to remove every microorganism? I really doubt that last one, since she has insanely long fingernails on one hand. I don't know what to do here. This might be an isolated incident, but somehow I don't think so. Do I report her to management? Do I call State? I know there is another patient in the facility with MRSA, is this woman potentially spreading it to all the wound-care patients? Help! :uhoh21: