Gloves? Is this acceptable?

[medsurgRNCali]

I know we are suppose to use gloves for everything. And I always put gloves on as soon as i go into the room , but I have seen many nurses not use gloves if they are just passing a oral med. Is this acceptable? In reality you are not touching the patient, you scan his band, scan the med and put it in the med cup. I can see why they wouldn't use gloves, it seems it would be easier to open those dang pills without them! But isnt this frowned upon?

[Wuzzie]

I always put on gloves when entering a room. It's not just for protecting myself from anything. It's for protecting the patient from me.

I know many disagree with me on here. I don't care. I always wear gloves. Including when passing meds.

Serious question. Do you also gown up?

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I got a Davey Do cartoon reply -- I feel like one of the cool kids now!!!!!

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[klone, MSN, RN]

I always put on gloves when entering a room. It's not just for protecting myself from anything. It's for protecting the patient from me. .

Protecting the patient from you? Assuming you wash your hands after going to the bathroom, and don't come to work with weeping sores or influenza, what exactly are you protecting them from?

[bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN]

For the typical patient, no I don't put on gloves when passing oral meds.

If they are on neutropenic precautions I'll put on gloves for the patients benefit though not required at my hospital (I sanitize my hands anyway but it is just an extra precaution for those few patients that I take).

If they are on isolation then gown and gloves are required before entering the room anyway.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

Especially for suppositories

[Night__Owl, BSN, RN]

It's ok to wear gloves for every pt encounter, so long as it doesn't make you lax on hand hygiene. There's no rule saying you can't.

[cleback]

I only glove for oral meds if I need to handle the pills at all.

[Neats, BSN]

Never be sorry you ask the question, now you know you have different answers. I have put gloves on a few times with passing medication to a resident, one who was incarcerated and he would set you up...universal precautions.

The only dumb question was really a statement I had and can laugh at it now because I truly did not know. I had to order a penile pump for a patient. I was trying to save my budget monies and found they are costly upwards of $5000.00. They look like a breast pump to me and I was complaining to my boss about the budget for this thing I had to order (the patient was in prison) I was coming up with all sorts of reason not to order and called the surgeon. While having a conversation with the ordering physician there were several staff members standing behind me laughing. When I got off the phone someone said why not try Adam and Eve store, without hesitation I replied why would I go to a Christian book store. There are something's you can never take back. And now I know what store this is, and no you cannot order from this place as they are not FDA approved.

[gees_rn]

Im probably a little lax on my glove usage to be honest, as I'm a hand-washing nut. I am very strict to the gloves-for-potential-body-fluids rule; but in the ED there is some wiggle room. oral meds? no. unless I'm going to have to physically put it in my patients mouth: think a shaky handed older person needing a chewable aspirin for CP. vital signs? no unless I'm taking a rectal temp or my patient is bloody, in soiled clothing, or covered particularly diaphoretic. ny hands are an in-between size gloves limit my mobility and my hands sweat something fierce.

[NewEnglandRN16]

I have a hard enough time opening some of my med packages with bare hands.

And no I don't wear gloves for every patient interaction. I wash my hands thoroughly before and after.

[Davey Do]

Especially for suppositories

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[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

For a basic assessment, I do not glove. Contact isololation - yes. Human contact is so important, not just contact through a glove.

Changing a diaper, emptying a foley, touching other devices connected to a patient with a chance of bodily fluids, yes I glove. Listening to breath sounds, handing out pillows and blankets, stocking the room = no gloves.

I think of gloves as a barrier, if I need them I use them, if not, no. Consider this.. you don't wear gloves throughout the hospital, picking up meds from pharmacy, collecting supplies, retrieving meds, contact with co-workers. If your patient is not on isolation, and you do not have contact with bodily fluids no need for gloves.