Should handshaking be obliterated from our culture?

[Alnitak7]

Let me ask this question one more time like I did before. I started a thread a long time ago saying I did not like shaking hands and I only do this to keep from being arrogant and rude .

I said one reason I liked working in healthcare because no one ever shakes hands. Some people who responded felt like this was a neurotic preoccupation. Even without a global crisis, there are people who never wash their hands, not even when they cough or at any other time.

Do you think if we never shake hands again in our culture that it would make people seem cold?

[Naturally Brilliant, BSN, RN]

I've worked in healthcare for nearly a decade and I almost always shook hands with people I newly met.

And no, handshaking is part of our etiquette. Things will go back to normal once the Coronavirus crisis is over.

[Alnitak7]

In all the years I worked, I only remember one family member who came in the room and reached out to shake my hand. It seems no matter if they liked my work or not, they never expected me to shake hands.

[Wisco_LPN]

I don’t recall ever having a handshake extended to me whilst I was in scrubs on the floor by patient/family. However, I believe it is proper “etiquette” to shake hands in the U.S upon meeting a new person, perhaps a colleague, or before and after a job interview. Basically it’s done in a more formal setting, not all the time, but mostly. This topic reminds me of the 1993 film Demolition Man that is set to take place in 2032. After the big quake in CA causes LA & SD to become San Angeles and they live thru a big STD pandemic... All are supposed to live in High moral order and TOUCHING is banned altogether ?? Their high-fives OR shake hands are replaced by a gesture in which two people aim their hands at each other, stop a few inches apart, and then mime a circular window-washing routine...?.Obliterate handshaking...? Who know?. Maybe!

[Alnitak7]

As well as talking about 2032, check out this video about 1918, slide it up to 33 minutes and you'll see I'm not the first one to think about this. Between 33:00 minutes and 33:30 minutes there's the mention of handshaking.

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=UDY5COg2P2c

"1918 Spanish Flu historical documentary / Swine Flue Pandemic/ Deadly plague of 1918"

[Alnitak7]

Let me ask one more time, should handshaking be obliterated from our culture?     Covid and other illnesses are still spreading.  

 

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

Alnitak7 said:

Let me ask one more time, should handshaking be obliterated from our culture?     Covid and other illnesses are still spreading.  

 

In my experience many cultures do not routinely shake hands which culture are you refering to?

Hppy