Is it illegal to place a towel over a patient's face?

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Protect from spitting, is it illegal to place a towel over a patient face to protect from spit

Specializes in Nasty sammiches and Dilaudid.

Towel = OK. Pouring water over said towel = not OK... ;)

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Specializes in ED, School Nurse.

We had to put a face mask on a 7 year old (yes SEVEN year old) who was spitting at us once, and he tried to chew through the mask.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Towel = OK. Pouring water over said towel = not OK... ;)

Thank you. My first good laugh of the morning!

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Specializes in ER, ICU.
I have seen a police officer use a pillow with a decent amount of pressure.

Turns out the patient was not out of control, and had a distinct preference for breathing over spitting.

You could probably lightly drape a towel over the face pretty safely. But they would still make noise. That pillow thing worked great.

Are you ******* kidding me?!!! A pillow is appropriate if you plan to suffocate someone, or use it to silence a gunshot. I've seen police officers do plenty of things that I wouldn't include in the nursing scope of practice. I hope they are not your role models in how to treat patients. Covering a patient's airway is not moral, ethical, and probably illegal. A surgical mask is fine, if the patient needs oxygen- use a non-rebreather. There are also commercial spit hoods designed for that purpose. Geez...

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.
Paych and ED nurses, along with first responders like cops and EMS, have to deal with this a lot. How do you guys handle it?

We have spit masks. Basically a stocking pulled over the head. The weave prevents fluid coming out but not air from coming in. They're a 1:1 as long as it's on, so we have incentive to remove it ASAP.

ETA: I'd bet dollars to donuts that security in any hospital has something similar. I can't speak to LTC, having never done it.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

Our ER has been known to throw a towel over the face of a combative patient trying to spit. But only until they can put on a mask with a shield. I don't know if that's illegal, but I don't fault them either.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

In our LTC facility we have a resident known to get combative and spit during care. The POA objected to a surgical mask because he said it would be too restrictive, and his accusation was that we would leave it on for prolonged periods of time. So there is a care plan in place that a towel may be draped over resident's mouth in instances when he is combative or spitting.

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Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.

When I worked IMC and med-surg, I ALWAYS kept a pair of disposable goggles on my head. Mainly for gunky trachs, arterial sticks and the occasional poop thrower. That combined with a surgical mask was more than effective in keeping me yuck free but we also had those shield/mask combos which also worked but tended to make my face sweaty and fog up my vision with condensation.

You're way better off covering your own face than trying to do anything to shield the patient's. All that's going to do is make the patient more agitated and cause any passer-by to question your intentions.

Plus... someone might think the patient is a ghost and call for an exorcism.

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Do anything and everything you have to to keep yourself safe. Your workplace will not have your back if you are injured.

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Specializes in Psych. Violence & Suicide prevention..

illegal? No, I don't think so. The thing with spitting is the client has a right to do it. But the patients rights stop where and when the safety of others becomes an issue. Spitting is an assault, at least it is in California. It is vile behavior, usually perpetrated by antisocial personalities. We are allowed to protect ourselves in a reasonable manner.

In an emergency situation, psych nurses will use what we can. A towel has been known to work well. So does a beanie, pulled over the face. They are both relatively light and air permeable. I would not likely question the pillow-to-face maneuver of a police officer. They are well educated in working with antisocial behavior and are quite effective in diminishing inappropriate behavior.

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Towel = OK. Pouring water over said towel = not OK... ;)

This is more effective than "pillow therapy". I like it!

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Specializes in critical care.
When I worked IMC and med-surg, I ALWAYS kept a pair of disposable goggles on my head. Mainly for gunky trachs, arterial sticks and the occasional poop thrower. That combined with a surgical mask was more than effective in keeping me yuck free but we also had those shield/mask combos which also worked but tended to make my face sweaty and fog up my vision with condensation.

You're way better off covering your own face than trying to do anything to shield the patient's. All that's going to do is make the patient more agitated and cause any passer-by to question your intentions.

Plus... someone might think the patient is a ghost and call for an exorcism.

JerseyTomatoMDCrab, may your various snacks and crab feasts be ever beautifully dusted in Old Bay. May your out of town guests believe you when you say it's good on popcorn. May your pineapple be fresh when you think, "I wonder how pineapple would taste with Old Bay?" May the pickings be fresh, and the claws not injure you to the point you need dermabond when you return to work.

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