Why do nurses clean off their shoes at work?

Nurses General Nursing

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pookyp, LPN

1,074 Posts

KittyRN It is obvious that none of the PP read my post. My original question was: what is the point of cleaning your shoes WHILE at work (when not visibly soiled) only to walk on the SAME dirty floor again? I remove my shoes before coming home but why in the heck would I wipe them down at work then walk around in the same shoes??[/quote']

She sounds silly. Maybe she has OCD.

Specializes in Pediatric.

What is a cavi wipe?

MrChicagoRN, RN

2,597 Posts

Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

Same reason you wash your hands between patients.

I usually do it if I've stepped in urine, or the shoes feel sticky or crunchy.

Yes, the shoes will get dirty again, but they are at least clean briefly and contamination to other areas may be decreased

HeatherGurl84

326 Posts

I have done it at work if I step in something, or my shoes are sticking to the floor. Some people just like that extra clean feeling ;)

The cdiff, mrsa, vre pts are discharged back to the community to touch everything in stores etc. some might even touch your mail, then you touch it, touch something else.......

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Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN

6 Articles; 11,663 Posts

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

It's not always just about having "clean" shoes to wear home. Working in the OR, I've stepped in blood, had blood drip down my gown onto my shoes when the suction can't keep up, I'm sure you can imagine what else may end up on my shoes. I routinely clean them in between surgeries, sometimes during surgeries if I'm not scrubbed and have stepped in something. That way, I'm not continually tracking something outside the OR into the hall or supply room or having a previous patient's blood on my shoes when starting another surgery. My shoes also never go home; they live at work (one of the perks of the OR- locker to keep them in and dedicated OR shoes negate the need for shoe covers like those worn elsewhere and brought into the OR) and I change clothes and shoes for work.

klone, MSN, RN

14,790 Posts

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

For me, it's because I have patent leather Danskos and I like to be able to clean the scuff marks off them. Cavi wipes work the best at doing that, so when I'm at work, I will often take a wipe and scrub my shoes off with them.

Swellz

746 Posts

Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.

Because my shoes are covered in nastiness from my trip into the hospital and my shoes are covered with nastiness from my day in the hospital. No, it does not keep them clean, but it is the best I can do. Would you not wash your hands because you know they are just going to get dirty again anyway? No, you wash them, because that is the best you can do.

BonnieSc

1 Article; 776 Posts

Why is it strange that nurses want to start the day clean?

Do you also not clean your stethoscope?

For poster #16, yes, of course those people are walking around in the community, but we are not coming into close/constant contact with MRSA/VRE/Cdiff/acinebacter in the community the way we do in the hospital.

Biffbradford

1,097 Posts

Specializes in ICU.

My shoes stay at work, in the locker.

Specializes in Med surg, Public Health, School Nursing.
If you catch me cleaning off my shoes it's because I stepped in something heinous or it's making a stick stick sticking noise when I walk. I'm not particularly concerned about what lives on the bottom of any of my shoes. It's a buggy world. I do take my work shoes off in the garage, though.

This is the only reason why I would wipe my shoes off while at work. I once had a patient pee on the floor beside the bed and I didn't see it until I was standing in it. Other than that I don't see the point.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 20,908 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I am not sure why they would wipe them off before work....unless they wore them into the hospital from being out in the community and maybe they think they are preventing community cross contamination....I say ask them.

I too had separate shoes for work and to be worn home and my work shoes never ent4ered the house. But washing them before they start work....at the start of their day........I have no idea.

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