Do You Wear Gloves When...

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

I'm a nursing student in my last semester of school. I also worked as a cna for many many years and currently work as a lpn in ltc. I wear gloves when I should, but yesterday a fellow nursing student corrected me for not wearing gloves to lotion a pts back. I never wear gloves for that unless the pt is on precautions or there's an obvious open area. I feel that human touch is important and a back rub with lotion is a good relaxing healing time. Have I been wrong all of these years?

The fellow student has clinical experience, but that's it. I hate to think I have to glove for everything I do. I do use universal precautions and wash my hands after contact. Thoughts?

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i've done it both ways. Sometimes i just don't want the smell of the lotion on my hands (which i still always smell despite handwashing - i think that's mental with me ) or that gross greasy feeling when you wash up afterward. Sometimes i don't mind. Like you said, obvious contact issue, skin tears, etc, gloving up without question.

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

i would always wear gloves. you never know when there will be a microscopic tear in the patients skin. just makes good sense.

[jjensen]

I am a bad nurse in the fact that I don't wear gloves like I should. I usually feel that the patient would feel tainted if I wear gloves... It is up to you and your practice for sure...

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

I don't wear gloves unless it's Eucerin or something really thick and greasy like that.

[shrimpchips, LPN]

i would always wear gloves. you never know when there will be a microscopic tear in the patients skin. just makes good sense.

i always wear gloves for this exact reason. ^^^

[RNMom2010]

It all depends on the condition of the skin, both theirs and mine. Really, sometimes gloves make the application a lot easier because the lotion does not soak into your own hands and it all gets on the pt instead!

[rn/writer, RN]

Boy, oh, boy. I haven't given a back rub in years!

When I was a 16 yo nursing assistant, standard hs care included back rubs, but gloves were saved for things like doing urine dipsticks on the diabetic patients. I did like the feel of ripply muscles and lotioned skin. The patients liked it, too.

The few times I wore gloves, I didn't like doing it. If you run across a patch of skin where there is too little lotion or none at all, gloves can stick. That's no biggie for someone who is basically healthy, but on an older person I'm thinking that kind of shearing force could cause a skin tear. Maybe not, but I wouldn't want to take a chance on inflicting that kind of damage.

Man, now I want a back rub!

[whykiki0103]

I believe the universal precaution states that you don't have to wear gloves for sweat. (Unless you want to b/c it smells really bad!) You only need to wear gloves for urine, feces, blood, spit and broken skin. I graduated in May 08' and that's how I was taught so you can tell that nursing student to shove it. lol

[whykiki0103]

oh, plus isn't back massage contraindicated anyways for bed bound pt with redness? They found out that it is more likely to be damaging due to shearing force as Rn/Writer mentioned above and doesn't help circulation nor prevent pressure ulcers.

[shahnaz]

thanks for this post.

[jode]

It all depends on the condition of the skin, both theirs and mine. Really, sometimes gloves make the application a lot easier because the lotion does not soak into your own hands and it all gets on the pt instead!

Exactly. If you or the patient have broken skin or a rash, you should wear gloves. Otherwise it is not required.