Hygiene After Hospital Shift

I'm wondering how you (if you're a nurse or a student in clinicals) take care of YOUR personal hygiene after a hospital shift. Do nurses usually change out of their scrubs in hospitals, are there locker rooms available, etc.? Does anyone take any particular precautions like showering with anti-bacterial body wash afterwards? Do you always wash your hair after each shift?

Although I am absolutely going forward with pursuing a career in nursing, the potential to catch something still scares me so I am wondering how you all take precautions to protect yourselves after you are done with your shift.

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Nope. I go home and take off my scubs, jammies on and into bed. i shower when I get up.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

The only thing I "caught" at the hospital was a night of continuous barfing from some cafeteria creamed spinach that went bad. This generally shocks many people, but we rarely wore gloves at all in the olden days. We washed our hands before and after any contact with the patient.

When I worked in a clinic I was exposed to every yuck rhinovirus going around the workplace, the schoolyard and parts unknown to me the patient may have gone....guess I developed some kick*ss immunity there.

And cayenne is right about private duty homes (I personally draw the line at bugs) but what continually amazes me is that some of my clients live in these environments, some have visible grime on their vent circuit components and all sorts of horrors yet do not have high rates of upper respiratory infections.

I shower once or twice a day and wash my hair every day and change clothes when I get home but those things I do for my comfort and as a "close out the workday" ritual.

I really wouldn't worry if you follow appropriate precautions OP! Best wishes!

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
Nope. I go home and take off my scubs, jammies on and into bed. i shower when I get up.

Same here. Minus the jammies :cat:

Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

The only time I shower is if I had a particularly gooey night. Spit, pee, vomit, blood, brain, whatever. I wear the proper PPE but sometimes it just gets to you having someones snot running down your forearm when you least expect it

Specializes in OR/PACU/med surg/LTC.

The only time I've showed right away after work was when we were in outbreak for norovirus in the nursing home. I felt so gross afterwards and I really did not want to get sick as well.

Specializes in Emergency room, Neurosurgery ICU.

I show before I go in to work, always have. I wash my hair 3xs a week. I work nights then come home wash face, hands and feet (I've got a thing about cleaning my feet before I go to sleep) then grab some "breakfast" and go to sleep.

I NEVER use antibacterial soap except at work! Here are the reasons why:

Five Reasons Why You Should Probably Stop Using Antibacterial Soap | Science | Smithsonian

FDA Taking Closer Look at 'Antibacterial' Soap

Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

As long as you tie your hair back there is no need to wash it any more than usual. I chuck my scrubs in the hamper and jammies on or if I am feeling keen gym gear! The only time I rush for the shower is usually if as the charge nurse I have escorted to IR and spent 4 hours in lead and a sterile gown. Sweaty Betty!!!

Specializes in Cardiac.

I don't really do anything special. I agree with everyone saying you're more likely to get exposed elsewhere. I do always wash my face and pull up hair and just throw the scrubs in with the other laundry. If it's been a particularly rough night, I will shower, but usually not. Oh and I do use antibacterial soap, but not really because of a germ fear, but because i just feel cleaner after using it haha.

Specializes in hospice.
Oh and I do use antibacterial soap, but not really because of a germ fear, but because i just feel cleaner after using it haha.

Antibacterial soaps, and their explosion into general use, have been identified as one of the causes of more resistant bacteria. I really wish people would stop using them, and someone in health care should really know better.

Specializes in ICU.

The only thing I do is frequent handwashing, especially after shopping or going around in public places. I wash my fresh fruit and vegetables very well before I eat them. I don't eat undercooked meats, nor do I eat raw cookie dough, etc. My scrubs get washed with regular detergent and cold water, but dried with heat. My work shoes get run thru the washer every week. I never get sick.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Antibacterial soaps, and their explosion into general use, have been identified as one of the causes of more resistant bacteria. I really wish people would stop using them, and someone in health care should really know better.

Your point is salient. No antibacterial soaps, foam or hand sanitizer can be found in my house. The more we use these items, the more resistant the microorganisms in our lives will become.

At home I shower using plain soap or body wash. I wash my hands using plain soap when at home.

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

For a long time I did floor nursing and never changed unless I'd gotten barfed/peed/pooped/bled on. Now I work in a place (L&D baby nurse) where I have to wear hospital scrubs, so by policy I have to change in the locker room before I go home. I wear gown & gloves (and sometimes a mask) at every delivery because you just never know where or how stuff will come flying out before/with/after baby. Sometimes no matter what you do you'll still get toasted....not too long ago I was at a delivery where baby needed a little resus. Had my gown/gloves/mask on, but as they're handing me the baby to take to the warmer for resus, the 30-second-old angel completely bypasses all that great PPE.....pees right down my shirt and into my bra. Fortunately newborn pee is not the worst in the big scheme of things.

At home, my work shoes go in our little outside storage room, never in the house. Clothes off, in the hamper, I shower and wash my hair then go to bed. I'm probably not any more grody than I'd be any other day, but showering helps me relax/decompress after what can be some stressful days. No antibacterial soap in my house. Honestly I'm far more worried about the grocery store than what I'll bring home after work....you never know who scratched their butt and then touched all the bananas.

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