OMG, wash your hands!

Published

After my (almost) 2 years in nursing guess who I have observed to be one of the least likely to wash his/her hands? Is it the doctors, RT, pt, ot, nurses, aides or the unit clerk? NONE OF THESE. IT IS THE patient. I mean AO3 patients. So many times I have assisted patients who are COMPLETELY ORIENTED to the bathroom, wait for them, as is our policy, and the pt does not wash his/her hands! wow. Pt's do their own ostomy care, touch wounds etc....:barf01:......... I knew about hand washing wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy before I was a nurse. I knew about germs and hand washing as a toddler, seriously, I was nothing exceptional, or so I thought. I remind the pt to wash his/her hands especially after using the bathroom and before eating . But, I feel like I am their nagging mother. I didn't know so many completely functioning oriented adults had to be reminded of this. Is it just me or do others observe this also ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.

Sounds like am excellent teaching opportunity. Teaching is part of your job. Reinforce every time. Inform them how important it is. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer and offer them some.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Our parents scrub in, but then touch all kinds of other things, including cell phones, and then think it is okay to touch their baby. Ugh. We keep big things of sanitizer by the beds too, but we are constantly reminding them to use it! We had one mom say she didn't believe in all the antibacterial stuff and felt it was impeding her baby's immune system, well okay, but when your kid gets a super infection then maybe you will get it. Grrrr.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pulmonary, Transplant, Travel RN.

My hospital got slammed by JCAHO for hand washing deficiencies. Problem is, they did very few walk throughs and when they did, they stayed in the managers office for the majority of their stay. So why did they peg us as being non-compliant?

Its simple. They pulled some data from our statistics. The data dates ranged from their last visit to the present. Said data showed an increase in C-diff infections and other hand washing related incidents. So, by default they figured the staff weren't doing it and were to blame.

The hospital, obviously, made a big stink about it with the staff. They sent out emails saying "this is a universal verbal warning to all staff regarding hand washing." So, everyone already had a verbal warning and, if seen exiting/entering a room without using proper hand washing procedure, you'd be written up. With the verbal warning already in place.........you'd be suspended 1st time and terminated the 2nd time it happened.

This part is just status quo, but the next part isn't: the hospital also stood up to JCAHO and told them their survey results were unfounded/unsound. And to back their statements up, a number of research projects and internal investigations were initiated. The biggest of these was watching whether visitors/patients follow proper hand washing technique. There is also a project for tracking how often visitors/patients enter other's rooms and restricted areas (kitchen).

So far the results have been eye opening. They definitely support the assertion that a great many sanitation/infection incidents are patient/visitor issues, not staff issues.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am not at all suprised. I have had several occasions where I have been in a public restroom and saw someone leave without washing their hands... So disgusting.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Its simple. They pulled some data from our statistics. The data dates ranged from their last visit to the present. Said data showed an increase in C-diff infections and other hand washing related incidents.

Good for the hospital fighting back. Did TJC also cite you for using too much ampicillin and cephalasporins?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

They say you never forget your first time ;)

In this case, it's the first time I assisted an elderly person up from the toilet. I was letting her walk a few steps to the sink where she could wash her hands. She said "no, I don't need to wash, I'll just use that thing on the wall" (meaning the foam etoh). :eek:ACK! "umm, no, you really should WASH your hands". Patient's response? "I don't see why I have to use water when I have the foam stuff".

Yes, an excellent teaching opportunity, and one I took advantage of...especially since I could POINT TO the CRUD on her FINGERS.

Total ick.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I got tired of reminding my husband to wash up and to brush his teeth, etc. He's in his 50's, for goodness' sake! He is now my EX-husband. It happens everywhere.

I have heard the excuse that urine is sterile, why do I need to wash? Because everything else is dirty!!!

Oh well!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Eew.. my 2 yr old and 4 yr old daughters are well trained to wash their hands, our relatives are freaked out on how good and consistent they are. #best mom

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yes! I have also noticed this at my hospital. I assist a pt to the bathroom. They finish and wipe and want to go back to bed without washing their hands or want to grab my arm and I'm like uh....NO. And, I point/assist them toward the sink and/or at least hand sanitizer. I see it all the time. It's pretty gross.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It isn't always the pt. either. I worked at a hospital, was in an isolation room gloved, masked and gowned. The infectious disease doc came in, no gloves, no mask, no gown. Talked to and touched the pt. Proceeded to walk out until I stopped him and asked him "aren't you going to wash your hands?" He sarcastically responded "yeah, is there anything else YOU want me to do?" If you have to tell that to an Infectious Disease doc, then they need retraining, too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have patients who get offended when I remind them to wash their hands, then refuse to do so.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion