Personal Hygiene...

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ED, ortho, urology.

I just wanted to know if it was just me, but the amount of people I assist to the bathroom that will quite happily leave without washing their hands...I often will stand at the basin, with the water running and then actually have to tell them!

And how many patients either refuse a shower (I had one yesterday and I've only been in bed, how dirty can I be) but also refuse when I offer them a basin of warm water so that they can give themselves a "top and tail".

And the patients that won't clean themselves properly in the shower, even though they are quite capable of it, or coat themselves in talc powder.....

I have worked a couple of shifts where the powder has had to be confiscated from a pt!

Maybe it is just me??

I don't mind helping the people that aren't able to, but why should I wash someone's behind just because they can't be bothered? And it really really bothers me the amount that won't wash their hands after using the toilet....and then I watch them eat with those hands....

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It bugs me too, but you can't make them do it.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

it's not just you.. i had a pt that had the disgusting hands, i asked him to wash his hands and he didn't .. yuck... he ate with those hands and i almost tossed my cookies....

i don't know why there are so many people in the world who don't wash , but it's a wonder they are still alive....

i don't know if people are just lazy or don't take pride in themselves .. or are allergic to soap and water .. but it's just unbelieveable...

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You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him wash?

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It's not just patients, either.

I am appalled when I go to the ladies room, and I know another person is in the other stall.

When they leave, I did not hear them stop at the sink to wash their hands.

I know of several people who do this, at my job.

It is sickening.

Why is it that some people do not care to wash their hands??

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When I am in the hospital I do not think of showering. It is not something that crosses my mind in that particular circumstance.

Only once was I given a hard time, It was actually my last admission last summer.

It was the day I was being discharged. I had gone for a little roll (needed a wheel chair because my IV was in my foot thanks to the fact that I have HORRIBLE veins.) Some nurse from the ward, not even my nurse, commented that my hair was matted and gross. I got kind of mad at her. I had had facial reconstructive surgery 2 days prior, and just felt horrible the whole time I was in the hospital.

If it had been MY nurse, or she had done it in a more tactful way, that would have been fine. But she pretty much told me I was gross and needed to wash my hair and brush it.

I DO though understand that I probably should have washed my hair. I just was not in the mood to deal with that at that particular time.

Also, I always wash my hands after going to the bathroom, especially when I am in the hospital.

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It's not just patients, either.

I am appalled when I go to the ladies room, and I know another person is in the other stall.

When they leave, I did not hear them stop at the sink to wash their hands.

I know of several people who do this, at my job.

It is sickening.

Why is it that some people do not care to wash their hands??

Okay, for this I am guilty. However........I don't wash my hands in public bathrooms for a reason. I don't know about the previous people who have touched the faucets and door handles. I use hand sanitizer that I carry in my purse for this very reason.

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Okay, for this I am guilty. However........I don't wash my hands in public bathrooms for a reason. I don't know about the previous people who have touched the faucets and door handles. I use hand sanitizer that I carry in my purse for this very reason.

I wash, dry and use my paper towel to turn off the faucet and then open the door with my paper towel, tossing the towel in the trash can as I scoot out the door before it has time to close.

I'm not OCD but I don't want to touch anything I know someone else has touched after they used the bathroom and didn't wash......which would be the door handle.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ED, ortho, urology.

If a pt isn't well enough, then I will wash their hair for them.

I have also had a lot of pt's tell me after I have managed to convince them to have a shower, that they feel so much better.

Sometimes there is nothing like hot water on sore stiff muscles, and the smell and feel of being clean.

Then they have nice clean fresh sheets waiting for them when they get back. (This is what I like to aim for, but doesn't always happen as fast as I would like! I'm still an Aide - in nursing school)

After seeing some of the things that go on in a pt bathroom, when I am in hospital next, I will be washing my hands before and after...!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ED, ortho, urology.
I wash, dry and use my paper towel to turn off the faucet and then open the door with my paper towel, tossing the towel in the trash can as I scoot out the door before it has time to close.

I'm not OCD but I don't want to touch anything I know someone else has touched after they used the bathroom and didn't wash......which would be the door handle.

Sometimes I wish I didn't even start nursing, because then I could still be blissfully ignorant of the nasty things that are lurking everywhere....

I find myself thinking about who touched the hand rail before me, or the shopping trolley and did they wash their hands etc....it's kinda scary.

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One of my coworkers mocks me for excessive hand washing .

She calls me "super nurse" and a "germaphobe"

No I am not ocd just practice good hand washing in between pts.:specs:

Even did rounds with a doctor who said hand washing was just for show.:eek:

Someone should have told Dr Weis.:eek:

:jester::jester::jester::jester:

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Specializes in LTC.

I have been many situations on the job and off and my mind always goes to fast food restaurants. what are we eating? i work in LTC and it is hard to get some of them to take a shower sometimes approaching them in a different way helps. sometimes the problem is as simple of letting the pt decide on am or pm wash. also to the comment made to the pt about her hair being gross that is not called for. ofcourse when you are ill you dont want to be fooled with however as nurses it is our duty to explain the importance of hygiene and strongly encourage this.

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