Does this concern anyone else?

Published

Ok, here is the situation: A pregnant CNA is giving a bath to a resident with an open wound with documented MRSA in the wound. She is wearing gloves to protect herself and unborn baby. DON sees this and is very upset stating that this is humiliating to the patient and CNA should take her gloves off immediately! After the bath is done, CNA approaches DON to discuss the issue. DON tells CNA that she is more likely to get MRSA from a shopping cart than from open wound. DON states that she could "stick her finger in the open wound with MRSA and then stick that finger in her eye and not get MRSA." So CNA is never to humiliate a patient by wearing gloves just because patient has MRSA. (Also, in our facility, we are not allowed to have carts with protective equipment for patients with MRSA/VRE.) Am I off my rocker or does this disturb anyone else?

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Flight.

damn!!!!!

sounds crazy to me

:cool:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.
:eek: she needs to go back to school and learn what "contact isolation" means. And as far as VRE, we wear protective gown, gloves, etc. MRSA...we definitely wear gloves. And how is wearing gloves humiliating to this patient. Wearing gloves not only protects staff, but it can be considered protective to the patients too.
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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

Sounds like the DON needs a course in Infection Control. I glove up every time I'm in a patient's room regardless of MRSA or not. If I don't protect myself, no one else will.

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Sounds like an OSHA report needs to be filed, 'cause this wacky DON ain't gonna learn any other way.......unless it comes from someone more official than her, she's not going to listen.

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Something else that might work.......the CNA should keep wearing gloves. When the DON says something the CNA should look her right in the eye and tell her "Terminate me. I will then go to the Labor Board, and we'll see who's right."

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Specializes in Med-Surg, gynecology.

Wow. In my fundamentals class in NS, we were taught to glove up for all hygiene-related care--baths, oral care, etc. It's a service not just to ourselves but to our patient--God only knows what organisms we may have inadvertently touched somewhere throughout the course of our day.

This should be reported. A lack of (or lack of use of) PPE puts our patients' safety in jeopardy.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

"Back in the day," more than 25 years ago, when I was a nursing student, we didn't wear gloves for bathing for just that reason.

We'd never heard of MRSA, nor VRE, nor of several other things we've unfortunately learned about since. We didn't wear gloves to start IV's then, either.

Today, I am certain those same nursing instructors would teach students to glove up. I learned to start IV's and draw blood with gloves on. Times change.

The DON is wrong, wrong, wrong. If I were the CNA, I would flat-out, point-blank refuse to do as she's directing. And, yes, let her fire me, go to the labor board, lawyer up, and see who wins. Pregnant or not.

Oh, and invite her to stick her bare finger in the wound and in her eye. I dare you. I double-dog-dare you!!

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

Shaking my head in disgust at this DON......:nono: Always wear gloves!!!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

sheer craziness !! :nono:

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Gross. DON needs a refresher course on infection control. Honestly, how offended could this resident have been?

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Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, OB.
sounds like an osha report needs to be filed, 'cause this wacky don ain't gonna learn any other way.......unless it comes from someone more official than her, she's not going to listen.

i don't give a rat's rear about what happens in the parallel universe this "don" lives in, but this is so, so, very wrong!!!:flamesonb

i'd make the osha call, and also call to the regional don if this is a chain!:redlight:

protect yourself and that precious little one!!:dncgbby:

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