Do you wear gloves

[mellow]

Sorry I have so many questions but you guys are so helpful. I was woundering do you wear gloves most of the time, like when taking blood, giving injections etc. I remeber being in a hospital and one of the nurses put some pill like thing up someones bum with no glove. surely this isn't normal practice. Also do you worry about catching something contagious or have you pricked your self with a needle after it's come in contract with someone else.

Thanks

[kittyw]

Also when it comes to changing linens (depending on population), you may or may not come upon a "surprise" and wish you had gloves on.

[CaliNurse]

Originally posted by canoehead

OK why would you need gloves to change linens assuming they are not wet with some body fluid? Putting pt on bedpan, the pan is clen, you are in contact with only intact skin, not actually touching their genitalia...? Doing mouth care- with swabs, you don't touch their mouth, getting them to rinse and spit you aren't in contact with the spit? I don't get it.

When we work with our patients we can not see the microorganisms. We can only see the effects of the microorganisms. Bedpans once used even one time are considered soiled. You can not see microorganisms. This also applies to the urinals. The only time you don't need gloves for a bedpan is when you get it directly from central supply.

Someone else posted a comment about having to get gloves from central supply in previous years. Does everyone know that your facility is required to keep gloves and mask in each room?

The comment about gloves in the pocket. This is not an acceptable practice in our facility. Our scrubs are exposed to many surfaces and there is no way you can keep them as clean as in the box. Does your facility keep them in each room?

With oral care I would wear gloves. I need to take the water that was rinsed with to the sink and that is an exposure to body fluids. I might not need them to to the rest but that part I do.

I am also very careful about not only changing gloves but washing my hands between body systems.

I think a lot of people think if they change gloves that is enough. Everytime you take your gloves off the very next thing you need to do is wash your hands.

Cali

[Agnus]

Our facility demands judicious glove use and hand washing after. Yes to the question we do wash our hands. Those who don't hear about it including Docs, who are most likely to be careless. We teach visitors to wash thier hands. We require all vilsitors to glove in isolation and teach them to wash after. We provide waterless cleaner at the exit of every room. including kitchen, med room pharmacy, therapy room etc. We teach that soap and water washing needs to follow use of the hand cleaner if there was anykind of direct contact with fluids, wounds, contaminated surfaces (i. e. any direct contact with anything in isolation, contact with linens that may have fluids wet or dry on them or any simular contact) We teach the soap and H2o washing must follow every 4-5 waterless cleanings reguardless of obvious contact or not.

We wash comming on duty, going to and from break and going off duty. Before handling food etc. You know the stuff we are NOW taught in school. Sounds like a lot but if you are using appropriate products and decent towels or no towels it is not so harsh. There have been studies that say air drying is not going to promote contamination or infection.

Also it takes less time than to deal with cross infection. Or worse infecting our families. I'm no clean freak (you should see my hourse) but I do not wear my shoes outside the hospital and my scrubs go directly into the washing machine. I am not alone.

[mlolsonny]

Originally posted by globalRN

=======================================

In fact, I usually carry a pair of gloves in my pocket (BoyScout ready);

I've been saving the right lower pocket for gloves since CNA clinicals. And when I pass meds, that's the only pocket I put Pt. items into (eye drops, neb solution, etc.). I check that pocket before I go home each night to make sure nothing goes home that shouldn't, but I always have GLOVES!

Several other CNAs have started that practice also. Even better, I got a good clinical eval (I'm third Sem PN) for good planning because I always have gloves and don't have to leave the bedside to get them.

Use them! Don't take any crap (sometimes literally) with you!

[cactus wren]

After 29 (gasp!!! where has the years gone?) years as first cna ,then Rn I developed a latex "intolerance", not quite true allergy, my hands get horribly red with exposure, and last time I blew up a balloon for g-kid my lips were itchy.........so I always use non latex gloves.....in fact after i found brief statement in a Dr.s ICU book about if workers were having an increase in allery type symptoms when they walk in the door( ie, runny nose, eye irritation, etc. ) that maybe it was from airborne latex. We went to totally nonlatex gloves in Icu..have 3 sizes in each room, med room, etc. And all of us are feeling better.....I did have to argue with central supply to get sterile nonlatex gloves at first, But the magic OSHA word did it`s magic, and now they order me a box in my size whenever I get low.....SOOOOOOOO...all you new nurses out there.........use the non latex gloves NOW, before you develop problems..........( Side note.........Have a friend who has also been in nursing as long as I, and when she had a TAH, they put in a latex foley, and she went into anaphlatic shock on the Or table.....got her through it..she`s fine now..but she just had redness problems with latex before that) We also use nonlatex foleys now, and they come with neat purple nonlatex gloves......

[Mattigan, RN]

I am horrible at it. I always use them for adult stuff but I never seem to put them on for peds blood draws or IVis . If I ever get anything it is my fault.

If I use them for IV , I confess i cut the tip of the rt index finger out. I can't feel. so i am 9/10 protected, i guess.

[Vsummer1]

Originally posted by mlolsonny

I've been saving the right lower pocket for gloves since CNA clinicals. And when I pass meds, that's the only pocket I put Pt. items into (eye drops, neb solution, etc.). I check that pocket before I go home each night to make sure nothing goes home that shouldn't, but I always have GLOVES!

Several other CNAs have started that practice also. Even better, I got a good clinical eval (I'm third Sem PN) for good planning because I always have gloves and don't have to leave the bedside to get them.

Use them! Don't take any crap (sometimes literally) with you!

I got abused by my instructor for carrying gloves in the pocket like that. Was told they were no longer "clean" after having been carried around through who knew how many rooms, with my hands in and out of the pockets. I guess it all depends on the instructor!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I work with a nurse that puts her gloves on as she walks in the room and never even touches the patients without gloves. I'm not that extreme. If I'm just assessing the patient, I don't always where gloves. Yes, of course with all bodily fluids. Sometimes, I must say on a difficult IV stick where I don't see the vein but feel it, I've been known to not glove that one hand. Been lucky so far, but I should press my luck.

[Momto3RN, RN]

I'm usually pretty consistent about wearing gloves. You couldn't pay me ENOUGH to do pericare without them. I'm not squeamish about body fluids but I have a young family to think about, too.

That said, I must admit to a few IV starts on patients who were such hard sticks I had to use only one glove so I could find a vein.

Ironically, my two needlesticks occurred while wearing gloves!

[mare-mare]

Wet, warm and not mine... I'm gloving up baby!!

(heck even cold and not mine)

[Magicat]

Originally posted by HLR_RN

I always wear gloves when in contact with body fluids or bathing patients. But I find that I can't start IV's or take blood with them on, I just can't feel the veins properly! I am very careful and haven't had any needlestick injuries....yet?!?!

I am the same way. I was a nurse's aide for fifteen years before becoming an RN. In the early days, in LTC, gloves were hard to find... It's still tough to remember to get the gloves, but I ALWAYS do with personal care. I'll admit, I'm one of those nurses who empties caths without gloves... again, fall back to the olden days.

And I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wash my hands!!!!!!!!!

[panda_181]

I must confess that I don't wear gloves when I start IVs...they never fit right and I can't feel the veins...then taping is a BIG pain when you have them on. And yes, I have gotten blood on my hands from this. Bad, I know! But I also worked on CCU and wore my gloves plenty o' time there. I do wear gloves when I'm bathing a new baby. That just came out of someone's hoo hoo! If you wouldn't stick an ungloved hand up there, you shouldn't be touching something that came out of there, since it's the same stuff...and that's all I have to say about that! Tee hee...

Amanda :)

Oh yeah, and what is a BSL?