CNA asks: Why wear gloves for dressing/feeding?

[emtop3]

Why wear gloves for dressing/feeding?

Hello everyone, I hope you're not too disappointed or frustrated with my post. I work on a memory care floor in a for profit facility as a CNA. As of this writing, I've only been there two days and this is my first direct patient care employment, switching from administrative.

A family member asked why I was wearing gloves to feed her father. I told her that it protects him and the other residents from germ transfer. I also asked my supervisor and she said to always wear gloves during these moments. I understand that I can come into contact with vomit, saliva, blood, dead skin and blood from cuts.

But truly, why do we wear gloves during these times? If I am only working with patients 1:1 and am washing my hands in between activities, do I truly need to wear gloves during dressing and feeding? I have thought about it more and see that it can be seen as unsightly for family, and I can also see how, especially for individuals who can benefit from touch, they're lacking the human contact of hands. But then again, maybe they don't even care or mind.

Yes, my supervisor has stated that gloves are always to be worn at those times, however, perhaps this is something I can talk about further in a monthly meeting during my probation period. Please let me know if I am completely inappropriate.

What do you think? What have you done? Thank you for your input!

[NurseCard, ADN]

I don't think you are inappropriate, and your questions are valid!

Really just depends on the facility, and each facility's policies.

When you are dressing a patient, it is very possible to come into

contact with urine, sweat, etc, so wearing gloves would be very

appropriate.

Feeding on the other hand... again, not really inappropriate

to wear gloves, but I see it less often.

Anytime you come into contact with a patient or resident,

it really is not inappropriate to wear gloves, but some

facilities are stricter than others. So..