Bringing own supplies?

[TryintoLearn]

I've been working as a CNA for the past month. I just finished classes before that so I'm pretty new at this. I have 18-19 residents to clean up from dinner and then lay down to bed and most are suffering from some form of dementia. Our facility is always short on washcloths and when they run out of those you have to use bath towels to clean up the residents. If those run out you have to use pillowcases! I also don't feel like they are getting cleaned up they way they should with just a wet rag. So all in all I'm tired of running around trying to find something to care for my already tired residents. I was wondering if anyone brings in there own supplies such as wipes, lotions, denture tablets, etc...? If so what brands/types are acceptable? Or if there is any advise on how to better do something I'd appreciate it.

[CoffeemateCNA]

There's absolutely no reason that you should have to pay for and bring in your own supplies (with the exception of maybe BP cuff or stethoscope if you prefer your own). Have you spoken to your employer about this lack of necessary equipment? If he/she does not get things fixed, you should consider finding another job. If they are not even willing to make sure their employees have basic supplies at hand, who knows what other areas they are willing to skimp in?

[caliotter3]

This will soon get to be too expensive. Sometimes CNAs will bring their favorite brand of peri wash or something else, because they happen to like using it. But not too often. Most CNAs can not afford to be paying out of pocket for supplies that are supposed to be provided on the job.

[JDZ344]

I have brought in deodrant and shaving foam before. Some places I work don't have them. I just brought the cheap stuff. I would expect the employer to provide washcloths, though!

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

Wow that's ridiculous. I've brought in conditioner, scented lotion, and lipstick before, but for specific residents. There's no way I'd be buying supplies for general use. And with the amount of people you have to take care of, I'm surprised they're getting washed at all. Sheesh. Apparently your facility would rather pay the costs associated with bed sores and other infections than they would for basic supplies and hiring more CNAs.

Are there specific things you're short on or is it everything? If there are specific things then you can usually substitute. I asked my facility to stock that foaming peri-wash stuff, but my suggestion was ignored. I thought it would be better to use that after incontinence and then wipe it off, than to have to scrub with a soapy cloth, a wet cloth, and a towel multiple times a day. It's faster, uses less linen, and less scrubbing on the skin. Plus I bet more people would actually do it instead of just whipping the brief off and putting a clean one on without even washing the person. But whatever! At least we have enough soap and lotion to go around. And I discovered that smearing lotion on the person's behind and wiping it off with a dry towel works pretty well to clean them without irritating their skin.

[justme01]

This brings up an issue....gloves. I have learned from my fast food job that I have to have either large POWDERED OR extra large gloves. They are the only ones I can get on in a reasonable amount of time without tearing. If my hands are COMPLETELY dry (which they seldom are) I can put on large unpowdered gloves.

What are the chances of me getting large powdered gloves in a nursing home? I have thought about keeping a small bottle of baby powder in my pocket and powdering my hands before putting on large gloves.

What are the chances of me getting extra large gloves in a nursing home? And being able to keep up with the box? The extra large are really too big for me. The fingertips are way too long.

Where do you hide your gloves?

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

In my facility if you need special gloves they provide them for you. You put them at the station or the linen cart of whatever, with your name on the box. And you carry a handful in your pocket. No one else has any reason to use them because it's easier to just use the standard gloves that are already in every room.

[CoffeemateCNA]

In my facility if you need special gloves they provide them for you. You put them at the station or the linen cart of whatever, with your name on the box. And you carry a handful in your pocket. No one else has any reason to use them because it's easier to just use the standard gloves that are already in every room.

I used to have a glove problem, too. I was hypersensitive to the talcum powder in the gloves, but nobody wanted to purchase any powder-free for me. Management said that ALL employees were required to use powdered gloves; it was their way of ensuring that everyone washed their hands frequently.

I went to Wal-Mart and bought a small box of cheapie powder-free nitrile gloves. The next day, the infection control nurse saw me using them and threw a FIT. She personally ordered a dozen boxes of powder-free gloves for me and made sure I never ran out.

*This is an exception to my above post :)

[totally_nuts]

If your workplace won't even provide the basics I'd be looking for another job. That's pathetic.

[TryintoLearn]

The peri-area is one reason I asked the question. I have noticed some CNA's just taking off dirty brief and replacing it instead of cleaning. I thought if I brought wipes in it would make the cleaning up time go faster and insure there clean and it wouldn't be as rough on there skin. It would also insure that I had supplies to get the job done. Has no one used those before? I just thought it would make sense. One of the RN's I work with said just buying off brand baby wipes would work and she used to do that a long time ago. I just don't know if I'd get in trouble if state would come in and see me using that.

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

You might, since there's no MDS sheet for that. Plus bringing them room to room is an infection control thing. If you just bought one pack for a specific person to be kept in their room that's fine because families bring personal care items in.

Like I said I do the lotion/towel thing for brief changes because I think it's quicker and better.

[CoffeemateCNA]

Ditto what fuzzywuzzy said about infection control. You never know what vicious microorganisms are lurking around. S. aureus and C. difficile don't discriminate.

Keep in mind the cost of the supplies, as well. Even if you used just one wipe on everybody for every brief change (and it's VERY unlikely you could use just one -- especially if somebody had a BM) you would go through 1-2 containers per shift. That is going to add up pretty quickly.