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

Princess Bubblegum · Oct 21, 2015

We have disposable spit hoods for our darling patients that insist on spitting at us, but they're used pretty infrequently and seem to be more trouble than they're worth.

Guest219794 · Oct 21, 2015

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...

Earlier, the pt had spit on me. I initially almost reacted unprofessionally, but did not.

When the police arrived, the pt spit at one of them and got the pillow for a less than 10 seconds. There was no harm to the pt. At that point, the pt became compliant, and safely taken into custody with no injury to anybody. Spit is not benign.

I wouldn't do it as a nurse, but think it was a creative, effective solution to a problem.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Oct 21, 2015

The disposable mesh panties work too!

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 21, 2015

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...

Irony. Learn it; embrace it.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 21, 2015

:no: on the towel.

As far as spit hoods...those sound like a good idea, unfortunately never had the chance to utilize them when I worked in LTC; the spitters I recall got their meds adjusted when they attempted to spit. No towel therapy for them! :cheeky:

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Oct 21, 2015

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

I would say more than likely. And poor practice. What would be the outcome? A really, really angry patient where spitting would be the least of your worries.

Wouldn't it be better for you to wear PPE if you are going into a room with a patient who is a spitter? (or a urinal/bedpan thrower, or whatever....)

And no, throwing a towel over the face of a patient does NOT make you disappear......

VixLandicho · Oct 21, 2015

why would you do that?

unless the patience want that

TheCaptain, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 21, 2015

We use a surgical mask for spitters and usually geodon, haldol, ativan... lol If they are especially bad we get a spit hood from EMS or police since the police are usually on site.

banterings · Oct 21, 2015

Are you asking if it's ok to cover a patient's entire face to keep his/her from spitting at you? How do you plan to affix this towel so you don't suffocate him?

â€¦you pour water on the towel to weight it down so it does not fall off. This was the solution to a common problem with detainees that the US government came up with during the Bush administrationâ€¦ LOL

Ruby Vee, BSN · Oct 21, 2015

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

You have to be kidding! Homework assignment?

Ruby Vee, BSN · Oct 21, 2015

We use oxygen masks, although surgical masks would work, too. The higher the flow to the oxygen mask, though, the more likely the spitter gets a face full of spit and gives up. 21% oxygen never hurt anyone.

Dogen · Oct 21, 2015

We have disposable spit hoods for our darling patients that insist on spitting at us, but they're used pretty infrequently and seem to be more trouble than they're worth.

Do they come wrapped kind of like a condom that you roll down over their head? That's how ours come and it takes a little practice to get good at putting them on (you can't let one side get down too far past the other side or it tightens up). Luckily, we don't have to use them often, because we're that awesome.