Gloves at all times?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Snotty Miss Perfect Nurse that's the daughter of a patient chastised us for not wearing gloves during a med pass. "Doesn't anyone around here where gloves anymore?".

Apparently she wears gloves at all times when in a patient's room. I wash in, give my pill, and wash out. I don't wear gloves to pass a medication.

I wanted to snap "and please show me the evidenced based practice that we must do this", but of course I didn't.

I'm also willing to learn to do things differently, I've adapted well to change over the years. Do we wear gloves ever single time we enter a patient's room, even if it's non-contact with the patient other than to pass a pain pill?

1 hour ago, Tweety said:

Yes. I usually can win over the "nurse as a family member of the patient" with professionalism and talking to them as a professional. But there are those that apparently in their careers have always done everything perfect and judge you at every move, without being nice about it and throw out the "I'm a nurse and......" card. LOL.

It's not about thinking they are perfect, but about not being able to be a concerned family member at the same time being empathetic with the nurse. Many people's nursing experience and knowledge doesn't translate when they are the family member. She knows what it's like to be the nurse in your position, but she can't go there while she's being the worried daughter or whatever. Also, criticism of caregivers is often the outward manifestation of feeling a loss of control over the condition and outcome of their loved one. The one thing they can do is try to improve the little things, such as you described.

I try to cut the family some slack, but I know it can be hard.

6 Votes

I am sitting around waiting for my husband's discharge orders right now. I am learning to balance being a good advocate for my husband, and letting the nurses do their job. We all know about the family members who are unable to handle their emotions and take it out on the nurses. When my husband was in ICU, he overheard two nurses taking "that's the wife. She stays out of the way and is actually helpful." Best compliment.

You are fine with the glove business. If anything, ever-gloving gives false security unless you change them frequently.

12 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
2 hours ago, Horseshoe said:

It's not about thinking they are perfect, but about not being able to be a concerned family member at the same time being empathetic with the nurse. Many people's nursing experience and knowledge doesn't translate when they are the family member. She knows what it's like to be the nurse in your position, but she can't go there while she's being the worried daughter or whatever. Also, criticism of caregivers is often the outward manifestation of feeling a loss of control over the condition and outcome of their loved one. The one thing they can do is try to improve the little things, such as you described.

I try to cut the family some slack, but I know it can be hard.

I have a soft spot for families that are concerned about their loved ones. I always tell them "no problem, every patient needs an advocate".

I know I came across as being judgmental and I really was just being sassy. That said, I do hold nurses as family members to a higher standard. There is no need for nurses to treat other nurses like crap when their loved ones is in the hospital. Advocate for your loved one but don't be a witch about it. They wouldn't want to be treated like that, so why are they acting like that? I get they might be stressed and overly protective, but be realistic and treat nurses how you want to be treated.

She could have merely said "I would appreciate it if you don gloves when you pass meds, it's a thing that I always do". I still might have come here asking that question though.

It's a pet peeve of mine and my issue I know and no one has to agree with me.

7 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
49 minutes ago, RNperdiem said:

I am sitting around waiting for my husband's discharge orders right now. I am learning to balance being a good advocate for my husband, and letting the nurses do their job. We all know about the family members who are unable to handle their emotions and take it out on the nurses. When my husband was in ICU, he overheard two nurses taking "that's the wife. She stays out of the way and is actually helpful." Best compliment.

You are fine with the glove business. If anything, ever-gloving gives false security unless you change them frequently.

Glad to hear your husband is being discharged. Best wishes for a recovery.

2 Votes
1 hour ago, Tweety said:

I get they might be stressed and overly protective, but be realistic and treat nurses how you want to be treated.

Agree. I maintain a very tolerant and ready-to-go-with-the-flow mindset when attending loved ones. I say very little other than "thank you" most times.

I do not understand nurses who act as if the nurse there to care for their loved one is their sworn enemy and somehow the reason the LO is hospitalized. I have my thoughts about it, in light of the many professional, knowledgeable people who do not act like that despite the stress of the situation.

Re: gloves. I probably wear them more often than not. What did you do/say in real time? So awkward... I think I would have said, "I'd be happy to you would like."

5 Votes

On the other side, I have worked so hard to be the tolerant family member that I have let things go that in retrospect I should have taken a hard stand on.

7 Votes

This has probably been said, but...

I sanitize my hands when walking in and out of a room. If I'm opening a medication in a room, and not touching it, I wouldn't wear gloves. That would be different if I have to touch a pill. For example, If I have to split a pill with the cutter I will put on gloves.

I once had to do something for a new patient. And the family member mentioned I wasn't wearing gloves, and I had just sanitized my hands and I try to do it in front of patients. I cannot recall what the situation was, but it didn't call for gloves. I didn't argue with them. I did it. I did mention to those caring for the patient how the family felt, if they wanted to go out of their way to wear gloves and not hear about it.

And of course it would be different if I was administering a medication other than po. I'm sure if you give im/iv or g-tube meds you would wear gloves.

2 Votes
Specializes in Ortho, CMSRN.

I wear gloves. Even though I use gel in and out, I'm touching their pills sometimes. Again, I fully expect food service workers to wear gloves as well. Nothing is grosser than eating fondant that you can imagine contains someone elses skin cells. Ruins a beautiful cake. I've had patients that have difficulty holding the pill cup, and I've had to scoop pills out with my finger into their mouths that won't drop in. All very gross without gloves. Even if I don't touch the pill, it helps the family and patient perceive the process to be clean and sanitary as well.

3 Votes

Review the facility policy and procedure. Also consult with infection control.

"Snotty Miss Perfect Nurse that's the daughter of a patient" must be appeased any way for HCAPS.

This oldy moldy followed your procedure. But times are changing.

2 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
3 hours ago, Horseshoe said:

On the other side, I have worked so hard to be the tolerant family member that I have let things go that in retrospect I should have taken a hard stand on.

Right, there is no need to people please, but no need to be a witch about it. I would presume if you'd decided to take a hard stand you'd at least be professional.

1 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
5 hours ago, JKL33 said:

Re: gloves. I probably wear them more often than not. What did you do/say in real time? So awkward... I think I would have said, "I'd be happy to you would like."

I told her it wasn't my practice when just passing meds and she sneered but didn't say anything. I would have worn gloves had she asked.

I was just wondering if this was standard practice of other nurses when passing oral medications. Seems overkill and a waste. I just don't do one med pass, I pass many times a day because we're a post op floor and they get pain medication at least every four hours.

4 Votes
10 minutes ago, Tweety said:

I told her it wasn't my practice when just passing meds and she sneered but didn't say anything. I would have worn gloves had she asked.

I was just wondering if this was standard practice of other nurses when passing oral medications. Seems overkill and a waste. I just don't do one med pass, I pass many times a day because we're a post op floor and they get pain medication at least every four hours.

I personally never wore gloves unless I knew I was going to have to touch the meds (and honestly, I usually did it for the comfort of any potential germaphobe patients or family). Usually you can just drop them into the medicine cup, depending.

I don't believe this is considered standard practice for nurses. Someone correct me if I'm wrong though.

3 Votes
+ Add a Comment