Mask refusal on unit

Try a sneaky back-door approach - kind of alert your Inf Control person and see if that can get any results.

Sad that you're resorting to sneakiness, but you're prob right about you'd being pooh-poohed if you really pressed hard.

Another thing might be to very ostentatiously use some disinfectant or sanitizer on the phone or other nearby equip. I mean, really, REEEALLY swipe & wipe after her usage.

Am not being the very adult PROFESSIONAL person here, but then sometimes one has to respond outside the norm!

I deal with this all the time. It has to come from management.

Many people believe that they need to pull down their mask for telephone calls or they won't be heard.

There is near zero public health education in our nation, and people are very reluctant to be educated anyway.

It has to come from their supervisor or they're not going to care/believe it.

1 hour ago, FolksBtrippin said:

There is near zero public health education in our nation, and people are very reluctant to be educated anyway.

Some of the public's reluctance may come from being in a country in which the leading public health entity continues to water down and change guidance because of political pressure from a man who suggested disinfectant infusion therapy as a treatment for COVID-19...

Her medical background (however limited it may be) doesn’t matter. There’s plenty of RNs who don’t understand science or how to critically think and I’m sure this thread will prove me right. Recently there was a fb viral post by an OR nurse who claimed surgical masks don’t protect against viral illness and attempted to educate the public why people in the OR wear them. She must have never stepped out of the OR and actually cared for a patient with influenza because she’d know that you wear regular surgical masks for droplet precautions. And of course numerous people shared this post as proof they don’t need to mask because it came from a nurse. MAs have even less education so don’t count on that to help you.

We have supply personnel who regularly travel through the ICU, PACU, MEDSURG, and ED in our small hospital who refuse to wear their masks properly. Initially, when mandatory masking was implemented, they affixed their masks to their shirts with a safety pin! Multiple complaints were made to management, infection control, and the ethics hotline. After a few weeks, they began to wear the masks, but cut the bottom strings so the mask just floats out off their nose. Their practice continues. The complaints have likely ended due to lack of action by management. Absurd!

On 7/27/2020 at 3:31 PM, amoLucia said:

Try a sneaky back-door approach - kind of alert your Inf Control person and see if that can get any results.

Sad that you're resorting to sneakiness, but you're prob right about you'd being pooh-poohed if you really pressed hard.

Another thing might be to very ostentatiously use some disinfectant or sanitizer on the phone or other nearby equip. I mean, really, REEEALLY swipe & wipe after her usage.

Am not being the very adult PROFESSIONAL person here, but then sometimes one has to respond outside the norm!

Thanks. Disinfecting surfaces is done regularly and is not the problem, as I see it, which is droplets in the air. She also takes it off to sneeze and cough. Oh - re-reading now for comprehension ? and see what you mean. I think she would know exactly what I was trying to convey, may see it (correctly) as kind of passive aggressive, and feel harrassed. I am not quite there yet, but thanks for the suggestion!

23 hours ago, NormaSaline said:

She also takes it off to sneeze and cough.

Grrrrrrrrrooooos!

Complain in writing to the infection control person, have someone witness when you drop it off. If you become infected by her, you have a civil case.

Assault = putting another in reasonable fear of harm.

These days her actions could be considered assault. Taking the mask off intentionally could easily be considered battery.

We have aides, EMS personnel, etc who don't wear their masks properly. Best thing to do is notify management. We had an employee outbreak because staff were not wearing masks.