Good care, but...no handwashing?

[lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN]

I work LTC and have always scratched my head at the fact that EVERY admit from the local hospital has MRSA. Well, I stayed overnight at the hospital with an elderly friend who gets very anxious during the night. She has MRSA in her blood. She's on contact precautions (although no one seemed particularly concerned that her visitors did not follow those precautions) The staff was very kind, and responded to whatever she needed, but I saw one nurse this morning actually wash her hands. That was it. Various staff came in and changed her linen, changed her dressings, gave meds, etc. and trotted off, no handwashing. Not even the germy-killer gel. Tell me this is not common practice. PLEASE.

[DusktilDawn]

Not by this nurse. I find this very disturbing. Handwashing is the one of the single most important actions a nurse can do to prevent the spread of infection. That was drilled into me 13 years ago.

Have you considered writing a letter to this facility, obviously some monitoring and education needs to be done.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Various staff came in and changed her linen, changed her dressings, gave meds, etc. and trotted off, no handwashing. Not even the germy-killer gel.

Note above on patinet survey form should get results.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Karen said it well.

[MadisonsMomRN, BSN, RN]

People wonder why we have all of this MRSA, VRE, and C-Diff outbreaks etc. Geez...I ALWAYS wash my hands.

[RN4NICU, LPN, LVN]

Is there not a place to wash one's hands outside the patient rooms? Could they not have been doing this?

[pricklypear]

Is there not a place to wash one's hands outside the patient rooms? Could they not have been doing this?

That's what I was thinking. Our unit has tiny, very impractical sinks in the room - your face is pressed up against the suction canisters (yum) when you use them. We have alcohol gel dispensers just outside the rooms, and a main sink on the unit. I always squirt on my way in, and on my way out. Then wash at the sink on the unit. I'll bet there are a lot of people who assume we never wash or use gel since they usually don't see us do it.

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

Now you know why we have outbreaks of this stuff and patients pay for it as a result. And it is easy enough to break the chain...by simply washing one's hands. Some staff never seem to get the message. I know...it is sad.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Passed the boards 13 years ago by always picking "hand washing" as the correct answer - ha ha! It is disgusting when nurses and other medical professionals do not do this. How much more education do they really need. If they do not get it, will they ever? Sad.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Is there not a place to wash one's hands outside the patient rooms? Could they not have been doing this?

All the hopitals in my area were built prior 1955. Only one added a wing that has sink for staff use in room. All the others you need to use sink in patients bathroom--nothing in hallways either. Facilites have gone to having hand sanitizer dispensors either inside or outside room though.