Would you be insulted if.....

[MomRN0913]

A patient or a family member asked you if you washed your hands?

I was reading Redbook magazine and there was this little section saying how you can prevent medical errors and infections (this is from a patients point of view) by asking your nurse or doctor if they washed their hands and by questioning the meds and treatments in case they were unecessary.

While I do believe in asking about the meds you are recieving and the treatments ( I believe in being an advocate for yourself, but not playing doctor to yourself), the first thing I learned in Nursing school was handwashing. I don't touch a patient without washing my hands if I have been with another patient or touching handling something like blood or even medications. It's like asking me if I was doing something very basic in my job that is a given. But I can understand where the patient is coming from I guess.

Would you be insulted?

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

LoL! I went to SubWay last night and the customer was like, "please change your gloves and wash your hands," (in the rudest tone ever!) - sorry I just had to say that. I just imagined that lady as my patient. Unlike subway employees I do wash my hands and change my gloves between patients, but I still wouldnt be offended. Hopefully the patient would be a little nicer than that lady though.

WOW...was she afraid the pickle juice from the last sandwich was going to do some evil cohorting with the banana peppers ?

[Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN]

WOW...was she afraid the pickle juice from the last sandwich was going to do some evil cohorting with the banana peppers ?

idk, but of course she was in front of ME! and it held up the line - you could hear the other customers making noises like they were annoyed. Funny now, but not when you're hungry and on a time constraint. LOL!

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

idk, but of course she was in front of ME! and it held up the line - you could hear the other customers making noises like they were annoyed. Funny now, but not when you're hungry and on a time constraint. LOL!

I am generally not a germ-o-phobe (or however the heck you spell it!). Once at Subway, the "sandwich artist" took the pair of gloves out of the box and then put a glove near his mouth to "blow" the glove open before putting his hand in it. Yuck. I was't a nurse yet (not even thinking of it), so I didn't think much of it other than "that's kinda gross...good thing someone else made my sandwich."

As for the OP, no I would not be offended if someone asked me. One time someone asked me if I washed me hands and I had, but I did again in front of her just set her mind at ease. Anyway, she they said to me "thanks, I didn't want you to give me C. diff." Now, that kinda offended me. As if I handle C diff stool and then don't wash my hands right away, and then wouldn't care if I spead it to another pt.

[SharonH, RN]

I wouldn't be insulted; I'd be embarassed that they had to ask me to do so in the first place.

[PediNurse3]

I wouldn't be offended if a patient asked me if I had washed my hands, or asked me if I had. For the most part, I would always wash them upon entering the room, or gel/foam as I was walking in.

I asked the anesthesiologist if he was going to wash his hands before he did my epidural (and this was before I was a nurse)- he scoffed at me and said something about having washed them before doing the epidural before mine in a sarcastic tone. Needless to say, he did not appreciate my question, and I did not appreciate his response. It did not go over well.

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

I always do, but I also tell them they need to make sure their children wash their hands, especially if they're crawling around on the floor with a cookie in one hand.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

another vote for not offended when asked to wash hands

pa's quality improvement organization: quality insights of pennsylvania has great list of resources

preventing healthcare associated infections: scope of concern

when patients seek treatment within the healthcare system, they expect to receive relief from a medical condition without the added complication of an adverse effect. yet, healthcare associated infections are responsible for 1.7 million infections and nearly 99,000 deaths annually in the united states. another 1.6 million to 3.8 million patients receiving care in long term care facilities (ltcfs) experience healthcare-associated infections annually. hai occurrence rates for patients receiving care in outpatient settings have not yet been estimated.

in addition to the human costs of hais, a significant burden has been placed on our national economy due to hais (u.s. department of health and human services, 2009).

the socio-economic cost of hais can be measured in three categories:

• intangible costs (related to decreases in life quality)
  
• indirect costs (related to non-medical and productivity costs)
  
• direct medical costs
  

the majority of economic cost analyses focus on direct medical costs, as does the information included in the recent report, ―the direct medical costs of healthcare-associated infections in u.s. hospitals and the benefits of prevention.‖ author r. douglas scott ii estimates the direct

medical costs of hais range from a low of $28.4 to $33.8 billion to a high of $35.7 billion to $45 billion, annually. scott’s estimates adjust the cost of hais to 2007 dollars using the consumer price index (cpi) for all urban consumers for the low-end estimate ...

from pdf's:

preventing healthcare associated infections best practice intervention package - part one.

preventing healthcare associated infections best practice intevention package - part two.

they have a gem collection of hand washing posters under resources tab, patient safety resources. my 2 favorites:

clean hands save lives poster : types of infections listed on each finger

hand washing cling sticker: "wash" in multi-languages

[systoly]

another vote for not offended when asked to wash hands

Pa's quality improvement organization: Quality Insights of Pennsylvania has great list of resources

Preventing Healthcare Associated Infections: Scope of Concern

From PDF's:

Preventing Healthcare Associated Infections Best Practice Intervention Package - Part One.

Preventing Healthcare Associated Infections Best Practice Intevention Package - Part Two.

They have a gem collection of hand washing posters under resources tab, patient safety resources. My 2 favorites:

Clean Hands Save Lives Poster : types of infections listed on each finger

Hand Washing Cling Sticker: "Wash" in multi-languages

As always, great resources. Thank you for helping us do a better job.

[Merlyn]

I've known Dr's to be insulted when asked or confronted. They are the worst when it comes to a healthcare professional washing their hands. I've seen it too many times.

For the doctors that are insulted there is one cure. Next time you have to shake hand with these idiots, pick your nose first then extend your hand( sorry for the last remark , but I come from very, very low class.)

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

depends upon how they asked . . . some ask just to be confrontational.

[Stephanita]

When I worked at Richmond (BC) Hospital there was a handwashing rule in place. Hand sanitizers were placed in each room and every 6 meters in the hospital. We had to handwash between taking vitals! I'd chalk the inquiry and concern to good practice :)

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

As Ruby implies, I've been asked in such a way that suggested the patient intended to dominate me, let me "know who's boss." It probably would be offensive if I didn't want to wash my hands, lol. As it is, I do, so in those instances I just decide the pt is a jerk and get on with the job. The fact that jerks exist and are occasionally ill and therefore in my domain does not offend me. Nor does an innocent inquiry.