Today, administrators launched a handwashing campaign, part of which includes having patient care staff wear giant buttons that say, "Ask me if I washed my hands!" Patients are encouraged to ask this of their nurse/CNA/etc. every time s/he walks into their room. Every time.
I find this incredibly insulting both to my intelligence and to my professional practice as an RN. I cannot imagine what patients must be thinking: does it imply that we don't know enough to wash our hands? What else do they need to be checking up on, if we can't be trusted to have washed our hands after patient contact?
I understand that the aim is to decrease the spread of microorganisms. We all learned that in Nursing Fundamentals. I've listened to all the inservices on handwashing, antimicrobial foam and gel, and standard precautions ad nauseum. But this is way over the top. I don't ask my mechanic if he remembered to put all the parts back in my car and I don't ask my accountant if she used a calculator to figure out my taxes. I don't think I should be asked over and over if I'm doing my job, either.
We've had a hard enough time trying to be recognized as professionals without this nonsense. If I wanted to wear giant silly buttons at work I'd be waiting tables at TGI Fridays.
I told one of the administrators I'd consider wearing one if all the docs had to wear them, too. It's been a long time since I've seen some of them lather up before performing a bare-handed dressing change.
I think its a great idea..statistics have proven that handwashing is still a major issue in the healthcare field..I do agree that Drs, residents and interns wear the same button. I have seen many co workers fail to wash hands. We were taught to wash hands upon entering a patients room and before leaving the room..that way the germs stay there! I am appalled at how many CNA's and nurses dont wash hands,,they say "oh, I am only doing BP" or wheeling baby out of room in crib..it is essential to wash hands, no matter what..you be the patient for the day..you dont know where your nurse just came from (another patient, bathroom, lunch, a cigarette..??)..its only demeaning to me if I have been guilty of not washing my hands..from a patients perspective(because dont forget, this campaign isint just about you, its about the patient and the level of care they recieve), it shows that attention is being paid to this serious matter and the hospital is taking measures to ensure an infecyion free hospital stay. Doctors seem to be pretty big offenders of this handwashing rule..focus need to be applied to them also.:wink2:
another post thought to my reply..most healthcare facilities have sinks in patient rooms..dont they see the staff wash hands???
I am not sure what your question is. I just spent a week in the hospital. There was a sink in my room, as well as a hand sanitizer. The first six hours I spent in the room, I was seen by several health care workers. One washed her hands before approaching me and after finishing with me. I was given medication, no hand washing. I was given respiratory treatments, no hand washing. I received a meal, no hand washing. I was given a physical assessment, no hand washing. I noticed the same thing happening to my roommate. We were both hospitalized for asthma and pneumonia. Apparently having a sink in the room has little impact. Need I say more.
I am not sure what your question is. I just spent a week in the hospital. There was a sink in my room, as well as a hand sanitizer. The first six hours I spent in the room, I was seen by several health care workers. One washed her hands before approaching me and after finishing with me. I was given medication, no hand washing. I was given respiratory treatments, no hand washing. I received a meal, no hand washing. I was given a physical assessment, no hand washing. I noticed the same thing happening to my roommate. We were both hospitalized for asthma and pneumonia. Apparently having a sink in the room has little impact. Need I say more.
Grannynurse:angryfire
Yes, GN, apparently you do need to say more. You need to say, "Please let me see you wash your hands before and after you do anything for me, because I don't believe that you did or will wash your hands outside of this room."
Be proactive. Don't contribute to the problem by not speaking up.
I think this is a great idea. When I was a patient, my "professional" nurse was caught by me dragging the end of my IV tubing on the floor. No I did not let her use it. This is how healthy patients enter the hospital, and never leave alive. I told the nurse manager on this pre-op holding unit what happened, and my doctor as well.
another post thought to my reply..most healthcare facilities have sinks in patient rooms..dont they see the staff wash hands???
We have alcohol based hand sanitizer at each baby's bedside. We are to wash immediately before touching a baby so anyone can see us doing it. That's one of the reasons I would toss a button like that in the garbage, aside from the fact that I think it's stupid and insulting.
I'll say it again: there IS no relationship between infection control and demeaning nurses. You CAN do one without the other.
The proposition that demeaning nurses is an effective way to do ANYTHING is bad management - and those that do so deserve the turnover rates they have.
patients need to be aware but if they are not alreaddy mabey there should be a sign in the room ask all of your healthcare providers did they wash their hands. no need to single out nurses
:chuckle Thats crazy.....they need to make the doctors wear those buttons.I cant remember the last time I saw a doctor wash his hands coming out of a isolation room or after they do a dressing change......i think us as nurses and cnas to wear a button like that would be an insult...i know from all the years ive been in the nursing field i wash my hands TOO MUCH thats why my hands are cracked and sore....:rotfl:
Yes, GN, apparently you do need to say more. You need to say, "Please let me see you wash your hands before and after you do anything for me, because I don't believe that you did or will wash your hands outside of this room."
Be proactive. Don't contribute to the problem by not speaking up.
Believe me, I did. I asked to speak to the charge nurse (12 hour shifts) and the following day, the Nurse Manager. I explained what had happen and what I had observed. I also told them this was not my first experience, as such, at this facility. I told them that the main reason for dcoming to their facility was the perference of my PCP. I plan on talking to him about this experience. I think that my experience is pretty routine and is not a deliberate error on the part of the staff. It is simply forgetfulness and a lack of realization of the impact of simple hand washing has.
Believe me, I did. I asked to speak to the charge nurse (12 hour shifts) and the following day, the Nurse Manager. I explained what had happen and what I had observed. I also told them this was not my first experience, as such, at this facility. I told them that the main reason for dcoming to their facility was the perference of my PCP. I plan on talking to him about this experience. I think that my experience is pretty routine and is not a deliberate error on the part of the staff. It is simply forgetfulness and a lack of realization of the impact of simple hand washing has.
Grannynurse
Our hospital's admission teaching is to ask the staff caring for you--doctors, nurses, techs, whoever--to wash their hands if you do not feel that they have clean hands. I always explain that many of us, like myself, wash BEFORE I go into a patient's room, but I generally swipe with alcohol gel before I touch a patient anyhow.
So I hope you talked to the staff caring for you before you approached the NM and I hope your PCP also is aware that you want to observe him washing up before he treats you.
Our hospital's admission teaching is to ask the staff caring for you--doctors, nurses, techs, whoever--to wash their hands if you do not feel that they have clean hands. I always explain that many of us, like myself, wash BEFORE I go into a patient's room, but I generally swipe with alcohol gel before I touch a patient anyhow.
So I hope you talked to the staff caring for you before you approached the NM and I hope your PCP also is aware that you want to observe him washing up before he treats you.
My PCP has been my physician since 1980. Believe me, he knows me and all of my requirements:chuckle
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trepinCT
249 Posts
I think its a great idea..statistics have proven that handwashing is still a major issue in the healthcare field..I do agree that Drs, residents and interns wear the same button. I have seen many co workers fail to wash hands. We were taught to wash hands upon entering a patients room and before leaving the room..that way the germs stay there! I am appalled at how many CNA's and nurses dont wash hands,,they say "oh, I am only doing BP" or wheeling baby out of room in crib..it is essential to wash hands, no matter what..you be the patient for the day..you dont know where your nurse just came from (another patient, bathroom, lunch, a cigarette..??)..its only demeaning to me if I have been guilty of not washing my hands..from a patients perspective(because dont forget, this campaign isint just about you, its about the patient and the level of care they recieve), it shows that attention is being paid to this serious matter and the hospital is taking measures to ensure an infecyion free hospital stay. Doctors seem to be pretty big offenders of this handwashing rule..focus need to be applied to them also.:wink2: