Does this concern anyone else?

[handyrn]

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?

[suanna]

DON is crazy -call your BON she needs to be placed in a LTC herself. She is endangering staff and other patients with her gross ignorance (or possibly stupidity-it's hard to be sure).

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

This sounds harsh, but I don't give a rat's patootie if a patient is offended by my wearing gloves when giving care. To me, a bath qualifies as something you should wear gloves for..if you have open areas on your skin or a small cut, there is plenty of opportunity for infection. LTC should not have different standards, either.

The DON in the first post is ridiculously out of line on this one, and she needs to be reported.

[sharann, BSN, RN]

The DON must be on drugs! Keep wearing gloves and for heaven sakes do not shake the DON's hand, who know where she is putting them!

Crazy, crazy nuts.