Odd rituals at work

Nurses General Nursing

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I have an odd ritual when I come on duty. First, I wash my hands. Then I wipe down my workstation with Sani-Wipes - this includes the telephone, keyboard, chair, call-light speaker, and the soap dispenser. Finally, I place a folded bath-towel on the chair so my butt won't be touching the leather seat itself.

Odd yes - But we all have our own methods for being control freaks - My own is just the avoidance of germs.

All I need before I start my shift is my tall water cup that I get for free at the cafeteria. Unfortunately, the staff that likes to clean up the station sometimes throws my precious water cup away, and everyone gets to hear me whine about how thirsty I am for the rest of the night. The cups at the nurse station are small, and lids are scarce. Also, the cafeteria closes at 7p, which is when I start my shift. I don't die without it, but I am miserable without it.

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I wipe down the computer desk and mouse beforehand. I have seen my coworkers NOT use gloves and not wash their hands after they provide care. Trust me, I know where their hands have been.

:barf01:

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"obstetric convulsive disorder" - Ha!Ha!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I agree with everything the OP does. And it all makes sense. Even on the ICU i've seen nurses with very poor handwashing habits. And they use that foam stuff now, which has made handwashing worse. You're supposed to use the foam and then go wash your hands, or at least wash your hands after so many uses of the foam (I think its 5).

As for the towel on the chair, someone didn't understand why you do this. Have you ever looked around at how many of your co-workers cross their leg under them so they are sitting on their foot? It puts their shoe all over the part of the chair you touch the most. And just think about what their shoes have walked through. I don't use the towel but I do use the sani-wipes.

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Specializes in Emergency, Nursing Management, Auditing.
"obstetric convulsive disorder" - Ha!Ha!

that's what i was thinking. eclampsia? lol

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Specializes in Oncology.
I have an odd ritual when I come on duty. First, I wash my hands. Then I wipe down my workstation with Sani-Wipes - this includes the telephone, keyboard, chair, call-light speaker, and the soap dispenser. Finally, I place a folded bath-towel on the chair so my butt won't be touching the leather seat itself.

Odd yes - But we all have our own methods for being control freaks - My own is just the avoidance of germs.

I checked your profile after reading this, thinking surely you must work in BMT. Lol.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatric, Hospice.

I do the EXACT same 'ritual' as the OP. Seriously, the sani-wipes, the towel on the chair, the cleaning all the counters I'm going to be working on, the keyboard, phone, and buttons on fax machine ;) Yup! I'm known as the 'cleaning girl' and I don't care! I've seen nurses do disgusting things at nurse's stations, from cleaning underneath their nails with a manicure stick (ULGH), eating and licking their fingers all the while touching everything from the phone, to MAR's, to pt. charts.. not to mention putting their feet up on the desk with their filthy soles of their shoes that have been all over every patient room exposed to God knows what.. and then never clean a single thing. THAT is why I clean ;)

And I'm not at all afraid of germs. Seriously, I could not care less about germs/bacteria/viruses. It's just that I don't want other people's oils, sweat, dead skin cells, saliva, possible nasal secretions from sneezing (I've seen it), haha.. etc. on where I'm going to have all my papers and hands all over for the next 10 hours! (Jesus, as I write that outloud, I kind of DO look a little crazy!). Oh well. I just like things to be fresh! I used to follow one nurse (not someone who I'd consider a very good nurse all around), who I knew was not very clean. I'd seen the eating, picking, the feet up on desk, the gross things she'd leave lying around the nurse's station when I'd come on for report (one time I picked up a paper towel to find a set of uncleaned DENTURES in it because she 'couldn't figure out who's they were' - ew) and the first thing I'd do after she left was wipe. Incidentally, the nurse that follows me, does the same thing except she doesn't wait for me to leave. (Slightly offensive but whatever). I've told her many times that I thoroughly clean 'our' area each night but she still does it. She IS a bit more than quirky though, bless her ;)

...So, I guess I wouldn't diagnose the OP as OCD so quickly. Some people just have a preference that is not driven by anything other than just that, a preference! I find it centers me for a productive shift. I actually know several other nurses that do this.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.
I agree with everything the OP does. And it all makes sense. Even on the ICU i've seen nurses with very poor handwashing habits. And they use that foam stuff now, which has made handwashing worse. You're supposed to use the foam and then go wash your hands, or at least wash your hands after so many uses of the foam (I think its 5).

:yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah:I use foam only when necessary but if soap and water is readily available I prefer it because I can scrub under my nails really well and wash the gunk down the drain. Some people I've worked with it appears their hands never touch soap and water......................toooooo nasty!!

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i have an odd ritual when i come on duty. first, i wash my hands. then i wipe down my workstation with sani-wipes - this includes the telephone, keyboard, chair, call-light speaker, and the soap dispenser. finally, i place a folded bath-towel on the chair so my butt won't be touching the leather seat itself.

odd yes - but we all have our own methods for being control freaks - my own is just the avoidance of germs.

i do not think that you have ocd @ all. i don't know about the folded towel, but i do understand your rationale. i can only go so far with it. i too wipe down the desk area and the phone next to eat, the computer screen, keyboard and the buttons on the screen. when i get to take my lunch break, i wet some napkins and apply soap then wipe down the breakroom section of table where i would be sitting. trash the napkins then wash my hands. i also wash my hands first thing when i enter the restroom. i, like others here, have seen too many nurses not wash their hands, or not use gloves when it is disturbingly obvious that it should be done. on the 1st day of orientation at my job, we had a 15 minute break and everyone rushed to the bathroom. there was a long line in the ladies room. the person in the fron of the line got into a stall, pee'd and then walked right out and past all of us in the line...never even looked in the direction of the sink. so no, i don't think that this is ocd :D

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

At the beginning of my shift after I receive report I stuff my left pocket with my phone for the shift, saline flushes, alcohol swabs and those little red caps for the ends of unused IV tubing. My right pocket contains my pocket organizer (pens, scissors, penlight, a laminated paper with important hospital and MD numbers), my "brain" and tape. If I accidentally stuff something in the wrong pocket it seriously disturbs my funtioning and I might go for some time thinking I lost that object when it is just in the other pocket. Following the stuffing of the pockets I use the restroom (wash my hands of course!) and drink some water. I then grab a box of small gloves and place it in a convenient area for quick access before I go off to assess my patients.

At the end of my shift I wipe down my stethoscope and name badge with those industrial sani-wipes and if it's been a particularly nasty shift (think lactulose poo and vomit all over the floor) I wipe down my shoes as well.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

I don't think its OCD at all. There are a lot of people that do not wash their hands! I use the Sani wipes & clean my area....then I feel comfortable laying my arms, hands on the counter. I also wash my hands when I go into the bathroom as well as before I come out. Nope not OCD...just being clean & using common sense!

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.
At the beginning of my shift after I receive report I stuff my left pocket with my phone for the shift, saline flushes, alcohol swabs and those little red caps for the ends of unused IV tubing. My right pocket contains my pocket organizer (pens, scissors, penlight, a laminated paper with important hospital and MD numbers), my "brain" and tape. If I accidentally stuff something in the wrong pocket it seriously disturbs my funtioning and I might go for some time thinking I lost that object when it is just in the other pocket. Following the stuffing of the pockets I use the restroom (wash my hands of course!) and drink some water. I then grab a box of small gloves and place it in a convenient area for quick access before I go off to assess my patients.

At the end of my shift I wipe down my stethoscope and name badge with those industrial sani-wipes and if it's been a particularly nasty shift (think lactulose poo and vomit all over the floor) I wipe down my shoes as well.

LOL, I feel as if I'm reading about myself.:lol2::lol2::lol2:

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