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 put on gloves before I touch a patient. Washed hands before and after. I work in the ER and never know what I am going to be in contact with. But wearing a button and said 'ask me if I washed my hands' How demeaning is that? No way would I wear that, I think they should pile the things on the admins car. Next thing they will want you to wear is 'ask me if I washed my clothes before I came to work'
I see your point. I have not seen that myself. Where I work even the CNA'a are OCD about washing, but the doctors.... never SEEM to wash. They could be going from floor to floor and really spreading this stuff. What creeps me out is then they touch the charts and everything else. I agree that if a patient has to question if a nurse washed their hands then what else?
Either way it should not be limited to nursing staff as that is just a slap in the face. I would probably get sharpie happy myself. Are you going to wear the same pin day in and day out for months? Hope they have a sterilization plan for those unsanitary things.:rotfl:
Considering that a friend of mine, who is not a nurse, was infected with MRSA infection, while in the hospital. I do not consider this button an insult. Neither the RNs, LPNs, residents or attending consistently washed their hands, prior to examining her, emptying her foley, etc, etc. I can understand why the administration is promoting this button, since the rate of hospital caused infections keeps rising, perhaps it would help to cut down the the rate of infection.
Methinks thou doest protest too much. As an Infection Control nurse of almost 15 years, I can tell you from study after study and from personal observations of staff, that staff DO NOT wash their hands nor do they clean equipment from patient to patient. I can't tell you how many times I have watched staff; not just nurses either; come out of a patient room, remove gloves and go straight to the computer to chart...never washing their hands. And I challenge you, whenever you are a patient, be it yourself at your doctor's office or an Urgent Care or Emergency Room OR your child at the pediatrician's...watch and see who washes their hands before touching you or your child...you will be appalled! This is a nationwide effort to respond to JCAHO's Patient Safey Goal of compliance with the CDC Guidelines for Hand Hygiene to ensure staff are washing their hands and involve patients in their care. This should be viewed as a good thing for patient care. At my hospital we have been doing this since 1991 with signs posted in the patient room stating, "Has your healthcare worker washed their hands? ASK THEM!" You shouldn't be so intimidated by this question if you are doing the right thing.
How would you feel if you are sitting at a resteraunt and the waitress has a pin....."Ask me if I washed my hands after using the bathroom?"
As an Infection Conrol Nurse as well, I agree that washing hands is a very big problem in healthcare. I have watched nurse after nurse go from room to room and not even stop to use the hand gel that is now at each door way to each patient room. (And yes I do call their attention to it when I see this), The media has been so very good at making sure the population is aware of the problem and how many nosocomial infections are out there and that healthcare workers are the main reason for this. And because of this patients are now paying more attention to what we are doing to them. The media has asked people to question healthcare workers before care is given, including asking them if they have washed their hands. Why would being out in the open and proud of your work ethic be demeaning to you. Be proud to wear it not ashamed, it is there to show the patients that this hospital is not afraid to have you ask them if we are following the right procedures to protect them. And if nothing else, by wearing it, you may remind those others (and there is alot of them) to wash their hands.
You are so darn correct. It is insulting and demeaning and gives the patient something on thier level to make a big damn deal about which breaks down the very thing we are trying to do....help them. It reminds me of the attitude that nurses got way back when that they are merely servant level people in the medical world.
Administrators should have to wear buttons too in relationship to our misconceptions or conceptions about them and their practices...."have you sold any patients down the river today with your budget cuts, have you ordered less supplies, cheaper supplies, laid off any employees, gotten any of your buddies jobs that they don't deserve, taken longer lunches, used the company funds for anything personal, taken home any office supplies, do we have a pharmacist 24/7"...I could make up a lot of buttons for them also.
We make decent money but never enough for what we do compared to the doctors or the admisinstrators. Sure they have more education and I am for education but what we do in comparison...our pays don't even come close.
Nurses are overworked, underpaid...and obviously with your stupid button campaign...not even respected by the administration of the hospital.
Do you agree that a patient is more likely to complain about:
-a nurse washing thier hands
-the food on thier trays
-their water pitcher not filled soon enough
-the TV service
and less likely to complain about:
-the surgery they just had
-the side effects of the meds
-the benefits of the surgery
-the complications of a poor quality proceedure
The first list because they are things they can comprehend...on their "level" of understanding....
I would quit before I would wear such a demeaning button. Good for you and all the nurses that stick up for themselves.
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.
Not to change the subject from handwashing, but back to the button thing............
We were given buttons a few years back and told we had to wear them. They said BMG with a red circle around and red slash thru the letters.
We were told they stood for 'no Bi**hin', moanin', or groanin' " They hired a company to come up with this. The same company came up with the idea to make a fake train engine out of cardboard and had the directors of all the different departments urging us to all "get on board!" They had little conductor hats on. My reaction?.....what the ? what are they talking about?!
As for the button, I threw it in the trash. Imagine a little old lady asking "what does that button mean?" and I'm supposed to tell her we are not allowed to bi""h, moan or groan at work.
Not to change the subject from handwashing, but back to the button thing............
We were given buttons a few years back and told we had to wear them. They said BMG with a red circle around and red slash thru the letters.
We were told they stood for 'no Bi**hin', moanin', or groanin' " They hired a company to come up with this. The same company came up with the idea to make a fake train engine out of cardboard and had the directors of all the different departments urging us to all "get on board!" They had little conductor hats on. My reaction?.....what the ? what are they talking about?!
As for the button, I threw it in the trash. Imagine a little old lady asking "what does that button mean?" and I'm supposed to tell her we are not allowed to bi""h, moan or groan at work.
What idiots.
Wow. And you know what's bad is that the employees that don't "jump on board" and go around making choo-choo sounds are looked at like spoilsports.
Not to change the subject from handwashing, but back to the button thing............
We were given buttons a few years back and told we had to wear them. They said BMG with a red circle around and red slash thru the letters.
We were told they stood for 'no Bi**hin', moanin', or groanin' " They hired a company to come up with this. The same company came up with the idea to make a fake train engine out of cardboard and had the directors of all the different departments urging us to all "get on board!" They had little conductor hats on. My reaction?.....what the ? what are they talking about?!
As for the button, I threw it in the trash. Imagine a little old lady asking "what does that button mean?" and I'm supposed to tell her we are not allowed to bi""h, moan or groan at work.
What idiots.
Oh my goodness. This sounds like PR crap.
Speaking of buttons, I'm tempted to wear a button saying "Ask the Activities Director if he cleaned up after himself today." :rotfl: He's getting better at it, but he's been known to do activities with the residents and then leave us nursing assistants to pick up his mess, as if we were built-in mamas.
Go to an inservice about HIPPA, ethics, whatever and have to play a game like Wheel of Fortune or a board game or some other inane thing.
Guess treating us like children must be one of their ways of keeping us in our place.
Perhaps you should all wear buttons that say, " Ask me if I have had time to have lunch or go to the bathroom yet today? I would love to see the responses. Just my humble, "everyone loves to hate, in your face, New Yorker", response.
I worked 14 hrs. yesterday, I swore after working over (for free) the night before I was going to sit down and take my damn break, once again I was just too beat and just wanted ot go home. You comment was great! I am not wearing a darn button saying any damn phrase for anyone, anytime at anyplace. I draw the line at "stupid" and that is just too stupid
I would gladly wear the "Ask me if I washed my hands button" right underneath the "For any complaints contact CEO John Doe at 000-0000(insert home phone number here.
4n6rn
7 Posts
I put on gloves before I touch a patient. Washed hands before and after. I work in the ER and never know what I am going to be in contact with. But wearing a button and said 'ask me if I washed my hands' How demeaning is that? No way would I wear that, I think they should pile the things on the admins car. Next thing they will want you to wear is 'ask me if I washed my clothes before I came to work'