embarrassing (& funny) problem..HELP!!!

[mooneyes65]

What can I do to stop fogging up my glasses, goggles, shield (whatever) while scrubbed. Actually....how to keep cold..yes..I said cold in the OR. I am VERY VERY hot natured (havent even started having real hotflashes). I wear a ice cold wet towel around my neck and down my back to keep cool...its ok for circulating, but once I have to gown, glove up for scrubbing (just learning) ...I over heat...even my ice cloth is of little help. Yes, alot is nerves...but even so..I am hot natured. Everything fogs up that I have tried...different masks, glasses, goggles, shields. Sometimes, I get so hot...the circulator has to dab my forehead! So embarrassing when the doctors are around....there are like 3 of us that do this...I am the worse. To us in the OR its kinda funny....but like I said...embarrassing around the doctors. :confused:Any suggestions??? Thanks...

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Try using the de-fogger that you use on the scopes (brand names vary, but I know it as FRED) and see if that does anything.

I had the same problem when I was a scrub so you have my sympathy. I used to dread cases with children/trauma because we would have to put the temp up in the room.

Let me know if you find anything that works.

[rn/writer, RN]

There are commercial products that can keep glasses from steaming up. Ask at places that sell glasses.

As for the over-heating problem, I just watched one of those medical mystery shows last night that showed a little girl with a rare genetic defect that kept her from being able to sweat. Without being able to regulate her temperature, she was in danger of over-heating in a very short time. Her parents had to keep their house at 60 degrees and she was, for a time, unable to leave her house as she lived in a warm climate.

A friend of the family brought over a vest that had compartments in it for iced gel packs, and this made a world of difference for the little girl and her family. The vest that the friend brought got its start in the military world, so you might be able to find something similar in a military surplus store. I'm also thinking that sporting goods stores might carry something like it or be able to tell you where to find such a thing.

If you were able to wear a vest like this, it might be able to keep your body temperature low enough long enough to make your job a lot more comfortable.

I wish you the best.

[brewerpaul]

Yeah, snitch the unused FRED as long as the bottle is not contaminated. Works great.

Also, although you probably know this, make sure the top edge of your mask is not letting your warm breath travel up onto your glasses.

[Rezidentura]

So I'm guessing the real issue isn't Fogging it's overheating. So here's some things that may or may not help. The obvious: If you normally wear an undershirt maybe go without and use an overcoat for when you get too cold. For the fogging try a mask with the integrated tape it does help. For the eye shield postion it away from you face a bit to give the heat from you breath somewhere to go.

If your nomally cold, perhaps it's anxiety thats causing this overheating. If thats the case maybe overtime with comfort this will decrease.

One of my Ortho docs sweats profusely especially during hard cases. I always heckle him (Doctor_____ I can't bring the temp down any more because our thermometer stops at-20 degrees)

BTW I Love heckling the Surgeons I know.

[medsurgnurse, RN]

QVC sells neck coolers. Basically, its a bandana with cooling gel in the center. You just soak in plain water and it gets cool. And generally stays cool for several hours. I have the same problem and this helped. I'm not sure if it would be allowed in OR but i'm sure you can find out.

[kathall]

I also wear glasses and found that the face shields worked much better for me than goggles or masks with the attached shield. I would cut a couple "notches" in the sponge head band on the face shield, it let air come in from the top as well.

It sometimes helped me cool off if I had my circulator roll my pant legs up.

See if it helps to wet your surgical gloves with sterile saline.

I usually kept a wet sponge to clean instruments and would wipe my hands occasionally.

Hope one of these work for you!

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

When I went on a snorkling trip, the boat captain gave us a weak solution of no tears baby shampoo mixed in with some water and told us to clean our masks with it to prevent fogging. You don't rinse it- you just wipe it off. It worked great so I tried it with my glasses at work. Works great there, too.

[AirforceRN, RN]

Some of the soldiers in Afghanistan are freezing their Camelbak bladders before patrol...apparently it helps to keep them cool for hours (and they have cold water to boot). The backpack would fit under your gown I would think.

[HeatherB,CST]

In my Surgical Tech lab class, a student brought in a pack of Rain-X wipes from the auto supply store. They have worked well for us so far! I also have found that if I hike the mask up pretty far, then nestle the goggles down further on my nose (I tie them on with mask strings attatched to the earpieces so they don't slip) that works pretty well too in a pinch.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Years back I remember reading in Heloise's Household tips that to keep a bathroom mirror from fogging up during/after a hot shower or bath, that after you clean it with whatever you use (Windex, or other window/mirror cleaner) to rub a dab of shaving creme (not the gel..CREME) into the mirror and rub it off good. I do this all the time and my mirrors never fog up.

I assume it would work the same for eyeglasses/eyeshields.

In regards to always being warm/hot, that I can't help with, I am the one who is always cold.

[linda2097]

Wear a sweatband headband under your hair cap. You won't need to be wiped by your circulator anymore.