Artificial Fingernails and Direct Care Staff

[pumpkin92356]

Recently my facility hired some new aides to work the floor and they had those artificial fingernails that you have put on at the salon. Well my boss told them that they needed to remove them because of infection issues and potential harm to the residents. They protested saying that it was their right to wear their fingernails long as they kept them at a decent length and that at their previous place of employment they were allowed to wear them. We have a couple of patients who have MS and are scared to death of those nails scratching them as they are unable to move themselves and would have to have the aides bath them etc. This issue to me is totally ridiculous because I know personally that if I was unable to move and a nurse approached me with "CLAWS"! I would certainly be ready to scream Help!!!! What kind of facility would ever let aides wear those stupid fingernails and lord if I ever have the misfortune to be a resident in such a place. Any feedback?

Thanks Pumpkin92356

[lpnflorida, LPN]

I think there can be tactful way to let her preceptor know that perhaps she should not be wearing artificial nails. things like. " gosh your nails are so beautiful , but how do you find the courage to go against policy?" ok,, suck up lol, passive way to go about it. I would be the first to point out the flaws in those words. The point is, there are ways. and if she retaliates , heck not someone I would admire much.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

and if she retaliates , heck not someone I would admire much.

Yes, but someone with with the power to retalitate.

She knows she's breaking policy. She doesn't care. She certainly will not be grateful to her preceptee for pointing it out.

[lpnflorida, LPN]

Yes, but someone with with the power to retalitate.

She knows she's breaking policy. She doesn't care. She certainly will not be grateful to her preceptee for pointing it out.

I happen to agree with you Suesquatch.

I once had a great supervisor say, peer pressure can be one of two things positive or negative.

I do belive again when we know something is against policy that if enough of the peers put pressure on the person, in a tactful way, ( I dont go for being catty or mean about it) that it can affect for a positive outcome. And if she ( ms artificial nails) chooses otherwise, there are chain of command to go up to.

WE all pick and choose our battles. If the preceptee feels it is important enough to bring up. I say go for it. Just don't be blind as to all possible outcomes.

[nightmare, RN]

I would have thought that whoever is up the next rung of the ladder from this nurse may have noticed the nails and spoken to her about them.If they have and she's ignoring it then nothing will happen because ' they' don't care!

[PICNICRN, BSN, RN]

I must say that I would love to wear them because I think they are really pretty(if short)! But yuck!! Total germ breeding medium! We too have had a policy against artificial nails for years----------- although I frequently see some of our female Docs wearing them- even surgeons! Perhaps they missed that day in med school??????

[Mrs. M.]

I sent a CNA home just last week because she was wearing artificial nails. I gave her a copy of the policy, explained why we had such a policy, and told her not to come back until they had been removed. She came back the next day with the nails gone, and not another word was said.

[4x4country]

my ltc unit manager wears them.... never dare say anything to her!

[lpnflorida, LPN]

my ltc unit manager wears them.... never dare say anything to her!

Is your unit manager involved in direct patient care? If she is you can find a tactful way to remind her it is not allowed. If she has no direct patient care, then I think it might be a moot point.

[4x4country]

moot point .... thats funny. :)

[IowaKaren]

I feel the same way about fake fingernails, germ breeding ground and possibly scratching someone, especially the thin skinned geriatric population. I won't wear my wedding rings b/c I am so afraid of a skin tear. For my birthday one year, I asked my husband for a plain gold band to wear to work. If not at work, I were my diamond when out if public and if I forget, I still have something on :nuke: I've seen some nurses wearing pointy rings on every finger and wonder how they can do that. Guess they haven't gouged anyone yet.

[al7139, ASN, RN]

It is a policy at my hospital that false nails are banned if you are in direct patient care. Obviously for infection reasons. Anyone who won't comply is terminated. Aside from the obvious reason of infection control in the hospital, what about what you are bringing home, and exposing you and your family to. I don't care if you use a nail brush, those things just don't get all the way clean (I know, I used to have them before nursing school). Now, I think they are just gross.

Amy

[pielęgniarka, RN]

I found an artificial nail stuck onto a residents BUTT CHEEK when I went to go change a dressing on his coccyx today!!!!! Thought it was terrible, what if he had suffered a laceration or pressure sore or bruise from it? Or an infection from the MRSA colonizing under that nail???

I was looking at all the NAR's and nurses fingernails today... couldn't see who was missing a french manicure press on....

Sara