artifical nails off..angry nurse

renerian, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2005

I take a vitamin called SKIN HAIR and NAILs. Purple box. My nails are like rock.

renerian

ocker · Feb 23, 2005

Hi Everyone..i found this site looking for information on artifical nails and nurses.So,iam a brand new member.
I do home health and have had artifical nails on for 18yrs .Dec.30th i was told i was to take them off...so i contacted a nail tech and told her my situation and she (as well as one other salon) told me they were putting a gel(like a hard nail polish) over many of the nurses who had to take their nails off....so this is what i did.
On Jan.11th while talking to one of my supervisors about some paperwork,,i was reminded i had to take my nails off,,i said these are my own nails with a gel hardner over my nails..she said she would have to check that out...i tried to also with infection control but they never called me back.
When i returned to work 2 days later,,instead of telling me what they found out,i was written up,and told i could not work that day and was sent home.Iam very angry :angryfire
I took the gel off,and now my nails are sore ,hands look ugly,i cant peel an orange,scratch..nothing.Iam feeling very helpless and down.
Has anyone else experienced this when taking off their nails and how did you handle it? Are we not able to even have a gel temporarily over our thin weakened nails,,till the new stronger nails appears?
Please help as iam writing a rebuttal to this written warning.Thanks
Lady Sapphire

long nails, what were you thinking? acrylic nails harbour fungal spores, pseudomonas and any other infectious agents that might lodge and grow . That's between acrylic and real nails and under the nails. Follow the dietary advice and she'll be right.

BETSRN · Feb 23, 2005

Hi Everyone..i found this site looking for information on artifical nails and nurses.So,iam a brand new member.
I do home health and have had artifical nails on for 18yrs .Dec.30th i was told i was to take them off...so i contacted a nail tech and told her my situation and she (as well as one other salon) told me they were putting a gel(like a hard nail polish) over many of the nurses who had to take their nails off....so this is what i did.
On Jan.11th while talking to one of my supervisors about some paperwork,,i was reminded i had to take my nails off,,i said these are my own nails with a gel hardner over my nails..she said she would have to check that out...i tried to also with infection control but they never called me back.
When i returned to work 2 days later,,instead of telling me what they found out,i was written up,and told i could not work that day and was sent home.Iam very angry :angryfire
I took the gel off,and now my nails are sore ,hands look ugly,i cant peel an orange,scratch..nothing.Iam feeling very helpless and down.
Has anyone else experienced this when taking off their nails and how did you handle it? Are we not able to even have a gel temporarily over our thin weakened nails,,till the new stronger nails appears?
Please help as iam writing a rebuttal to this written warning.Thanks
Lady Sapphire

You are a professional. Get those artificial nails OFF. You have seen the studies and everyone is on the same page here. They are unsanitary. If you insist on the nails, get a new career!

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Feb 23, 2005

You are a professional. Get those artificial nails OFF. You have seen the studies and everyone is on the same page here. They are unsanitary. If you insist on the nails, get a new career!

Just what bet's said. I mean, really. Do you want to spread infection around to your patients? I would hope not. Don't touch me with those nails... and don't eat finger foods with them either.

JasminaMama · Feb 23, 2005

I remember the day I had contractions and went to the hospital to see what's going on. The family practice doctor there, who was checking me to see how far I am dialated, had VERY long, artificial nails. It was quite painful to be checked by her. I could actually feel her nails:uhoh21: . It was very uncomfortable, and I couldn't understand why she would be allowed to have such nails as a doctor, especially giving lady partsl exams. Anyway, I personally don't like the idea of artificial nails, but it's everyone's decision what they do with their body. However, I DEFINATELY think that doctors and nurses should not have them.

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

Well, I picked up the aquafor, and I was dissappointed. I mean it is wonderful, but so greasy!!! It is something you could only use at night. I need something I can use throughout the day as well.

I'm going to look for those vitamins ren, but I take another great vitamin, so I hope they don't overlap the fat solubles.

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

http://www.evitamins.com/product.asp?pid=1080&brand=Natrol

Is this the stuff ren?

I am not willing to give up my One-A-Day Weight Smart vitamin, it really has helped me to have more energy and less appetite. Too many repeat items. Maybe I can find a supplement that has all but the vitamins. Thanks anyway. I posted the link in case anyone else was interested, but this wasn't the only site with the viatmin, some sites had it cheaper, this one listed all the ingredients though.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

Diet is not always the fix-all for some people, however, i've seen a few that complain diet doesn't help, but they also didn't adjust their intake either lol.

KrisRNwannabe · Feb 23, 2005

i have heard pre-natal vitamins are good for your nails and hair. i tried them but they upset my stomach. i looked at rite aid but didn't see any of these hair and nails vitamins. maybe a health food store???

thanks

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

Or try a beauty supply store.

witnurse · Apr 13, 2005

Yikes!! I forgot to post that i FORGOT to put in the plastic retainer. geez people give me break. i have tattoos also. anything to say about that. remember nurses are regular human beings as well and gasp... we have lives outside of work. i just thought it was funny that she yelled at me for that and she had super long, bright red fakes. and too Marie_LPN I don't speak any differently than I used to. people that get speech issues and chipped teeth are because after the piercing is healed they do not switch out the barbells for a shorter one. mine is fitted to my tongue it does not move up and down when i talk. and if i tried to play with it i would have to stick my tongue half way out of my mouth. Very few people know that I have unless i show it to them. The only reason she seen is because I yawned and didn't have my mouth totally closed when i took my hand away. when she said something to my instructor she hadn't even realized that i had one. so can we put out the flames for now???

Just a question not flames. What does it look like to be considered a professional person in your neck of the woods? I don't see any docs, lawyers, CEO's etc. with piercings and tatoos that show. We are always saying that people don't respect us as professionals. If what we chose to do with our body is not apparent to others all well and good but if I had a surgeon come in with a tongue ring and tats I would not feel as comfortable. I know a lot of folks who feel that way and they are not all as ancient as I am. I don't think we need to go back to uniforms but Professional? What do others think? what does that look like?

EEYORE :wink2:

studious · Apr 13, 2005

Blackbird:
Could you please be more specific about what kind of diet lapse would cause the peeling, splitting nails and the dry, cracked and bleeding fingers and cuticles. It's not something that started right after my acrylics came off: they've always been that way. Would sure like to know how to improve it. I use massive amounts of lotions, cuticle creams, oils, and at best, it feels and looks better for 30 minutes.

Hi Blackbird,

Have you tried an aloe vera gel to moisturise, just the gel on it's own, it's supposed to be good at healing and even helping with existing scars. My Aunt had a radical thyriodectomy due to cancer (found too late though)a few years back, and I recommended it to her, thankfully the scar had practically healed after only two weeks of applying once daily, today you wouldn't think unless you looked really closely, that she had had any type of op on her neck. I also had a eczema type rash on my face once, and my Aunt in Australia recommended tea tree moisturiser, it got better very quickly and hasn't really come back except when I get stressed, then I put some on. As for your diet, you could have a Vitamin deficiency, it would certainly explain your dry cracked nail beds and pads. Start taking some multivits, or certain vits separately, never combine the two as too much of the same vit can harm your immune response as well. I take Zinc (excellent for healing), vit C, Vitamin D and cod liver oil capsules (good for the heart and eats bad fats), as well as eating at least five fruits or veg a day. Played havoc with my digestion to start with (without going into too much detail), but after a week or so settled down nicely. I have to admit I do feel better. Please let me know how you go and good luck.:wink2: