In lecture, we were told to not wear gloves when we perform bed baths unless coming into contact with bodily fluids or feces, or open wounds. So basically no gloves giving the bed bath until we are about to give perineal care/change the brief. The reason being that it makes the patient feel like something is wrong with them and you don't want to touch them. And they say you don't wear gloves when you wash yourself, so why would you need to for someone else (assuming they have no open wounds, infectious diseases, giving perineal care, etc.)
Well, last week was my first start in clinicals in a long term nursing home. My partner and I had no issues at all with anything including the bed bath; we did not use gloves when giving the bed bath until we did perineal care (patient had no additional issues to worry about).
This week however, I have a new patient and a new partner. Anyway, the gist is my instructor decided to critique my new partner and I today on almost everything we did (correct and non-correct). Probably because even though I was knowledgable in what we were supposed to be doing, my new partner was not and my instructor knew. Don't get me wrong, if I am doing something wrong then please correct me, but if I'm doing something right, I don't see the reason to find some way to criticize.
Anyway, one of the things she criticized me on was what I had done with my gloves because she had seen me grab some earlier. And I explained I had my gloves on my person, but I had only just finished washing her upper body so I was waiting to put them on for perineal care and the conversation went on from there.
My question is, as a nursing student, what is the correct way? To wear gloves the whole time or only in cases of contact with open wound, perineal care, etc.? Because hearing two different things is confusing and now I don't know what the right way is. I want to do this correct and I don't want to continue to be critiqued over something because I can't get the right information. Do I follow what I learned in lecture or what my particular nurse instructor wants?
Edit- I just realized I posted in wrong thread area, opps!
In lecture, we were told to not wear gloves when we perform bed baths unless coming into contact with bodily fluids or feces, or open wounds. So basically no gloves giving the bed bath until we are about to give perineal care/change the brief. The reason being that it makes the patient feel like something is wrong with them and you don't want to touch them. And they say you don't wear gloves when you wash yourself, so why would you need to for someone else (assuming they have no open wounds, infectious diseases, giving perineal care, etc.)
Well, last week was my first start in clinicals in a long term nursing home. My partner and I had no issues at all with anything including the bed bath; we did not use gloves when giving the bed bath until we did perineal care (patient had no additional issues to worry about).
This week however, I have a new patient and a new partner. Anyway, the gist is my instructor decided to critique my new partner and I today on almost everything we did (correct and non-correct). Probably because even though I was knowledgable in what we were supposed to be doing, my new partner was not and my instructor knew. Don't get me wrong, if I am doing something wrong then please correct me, but if I'm doing something right, I don't see the reason to find some way to criticize.
Anyway, one of the things she criticized me on was what I had done with my gloves because she had seen me grab some earlier. And I explained I had my gloves on my person, but I had only just finished washing her upper body so I was waiting to put them on for perineal care and the conversation went on from there.
My question is, as a nursing student, what is the correct way? To wear gloves the whole time or only in cases of contact with open wound, perineal care, etc.? Because hearing two different things is confusing and now I don't know what the right way is. I want to do this correct and I don't want to continue to be critiqued over something because I can't get the right information. Do I follow what I learned in lecture or what my particular nurse instructor wants?
Edit- I just realized I posted in wrong thread area, opps!
Note, I am responding primarily to the bolded statement.
I do not wear gloves when I am washing myself. I also don't wear gloves when I am brushing my teeth, wiping my rear-end or changing my child's diaper. HOWEVER, I DO wear gloves when I am doing any of the above to a patient. Sorry, but that's a horrible rationale on your instructor's part for why you don't do something. I also wouldn't wear gloves if I was giving myself an injection or changing a dressing on myself... should we not wear gloves when doing those things to a patient either? Of course not, because we observe universal precautions when performing patient care. You never know what you're going to find in armpits or skin folds outside of the peri area. I wear gloves for the entire thing.
KelRN215, BSN, RN
1 Article; 7,349 Posts
Note, I am responding primarily to the bolded statement.
I do not wear gloves when I am washing myself. I also don't wear gloves when I am brushing my teeth, wiping my rear-end or changing my child's diaper. HOWEVER, I DO wear gloves when I am doing any of the above to a patient. Sorry, but that's a horrible rationale on your instructor's part for why you don't do something. I also wouldn't wear gloves if I was giving myself an injection or changing a dressing on myself... should we not wear gloves when doing those things to a patient either? Of course not, because we observe universal precautions when performing patient care. You never know what you're going to find in armpits or skin folds outside of the peri area. I wear gloves for the entire thing.