Anyone heard any reason gel polish is worse than regular polish??

trinitymaster · Mar 1, 2015

There is nothing petty about infection control. Please do not tell me that you also wear hoop earrings, spray on a ton of perfume before you go to work, and have long hair that you don't put up because it might get damaged. :no:

Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

Something that has me miffed is that there were supposedly "numerous complaints" about some of us new hires' nails made to our nsg supervisor by senior staff. It became a big to-do... no acrylics, gels, shallacks, and the list went on. Paint is apparently ok. It just can not be a longer lasting gel manicure I guess. I thought the whole thing really pointed to how petty and childish some "senior staff" can be. FWIW, I have heard that acrylic nails can harbor more bacteria, so I wasn't surprised about the issue with those. But, has anyone heard any reason gel polish is worse than regular polish??

Maybe because it's harder to take off, so if you get a chip in it it's more difficult to repair. Regardless, nail polish should not be worn in a clinical setting, period. (Regular polish is "apparently ok"? If your policy doesn't say so explicitly, I'd doubt that.) The senior staff members are not being "petty and childish," they just understand that preventing infection and cross-contamination is more important than vanity.

schnookimz · Mar 1, 2015

But can anyone actually point to a study that shows no chip manicures harbor infection causing germs?

I have absolutely no interest in other peoples "beliefs" or "opinions" that they do.

I want actual studies or facts.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

Maybe because it's harder to take off, so if you get a chip in it it's more difficult to repair. Regardless, nail polish should not be worn in a clinical setting, period. (Regular polish is "apparently ok"? If your policy doesn't say so explicitly, I'd doubt that.) The senior staff members are not being "petty and childish," they just understand that preventing infection and cross-contamination is more important than vanity.

There also have been studies that have been done where there have shown that "artificial nails" that harbor many bacteria; I don't have them present, but the OP can do a search on previous threads on here and find them. :yes:

I did a swab for my micro class under my own natural nail (at least a 1/2 inch nail) and found staph and strep; we have to remember that most of our bodies have these bacteria and it is very possible to transfer them when working with out patients.

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

I've never worked anywhere that allowed clinical staff to wear polish. Many of them still do and the policy isn't enforced. To me it's a HUGE waste of money and a gross habit. We all have our "things" and that isn't mine.

bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

But can anyone actually point to a study that shows no chip manicures harbor infection causing germs?
I have absolutely no interest in other peoples "beliefs" or "opinions" that they do.
I want actual studies or facts.

Contact your company's infection control department. I'm sure they would love to provide you with all of the data and you company's policies in writing.

Nola009 · Mar 1, 2015

Well, there's nothing in our handbook about gel polish. This seems to be a new/unit specific thing. It is now a "policy of the month" highlighted in our breakroom. And we got a group email about it. I have known that acrylic nails are an infection control issue since nursing school. Despite my google searches, I found nothing written about gel polish and infection control. We actually ARE allowed to wear regular ol' nail polish, which is what I wear. I wanted to ask you nurses if you have or have heard of such a policy regarding the gel nail polish. When I say it was a big to-do, it was... a huge poster in the breakroom and an email to all of us on the unit. I asked a few of my coworkers about it, and got no answers, just confusion as to what precipitated this whole emphasis on nails.... particularly gel nails. I think we all already know acrilycs are a no-no. :nurse:

Libby1987 · Mar 1, 2015

I bet it's a blanket rule because someone/s hasn't deminstrated good judgement. I doubt short nails with well maintained gel polish caused this abrupt rule. Even at 2 week changes, the edges lift at the grow out, 3 weeks and yuck.

klone, MSN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

No, gel polish does not harbor more bacteria than regular polish. In fact, I would guess that because it's much less likely to chip, it is probably BETTER, from an infection-control standpoint. There is no logical reason why a facility would allow regular nail polish but not gel. How would they even know if it's gel or regular?

OMMx3, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

I believe gel is considered to be an enhancement, since gel can't be removed with regular nail polish remover most facilities will not allow nurses to wear gel polish. However you can't tell the difference just by looking.

klone, MSN, RN · Mar 1, 2015

I believe gel is considered to be an enhancement, since gel can't be removed with regular nail polish remover.

I remove gel polish with regular nail polish remover all the time. It's just a much longer process.