silly question

[healthcarefome]

I'm a bit of a newbie and I just bought a watch for timing pulses and etc.... what wrist do you wear your watch on for optimum observation if you are right handed? left handed?

[talaxandra]

I don't wear a wristwatch for hygeine reasons - it makes it much more difficult to wash your wrists and forearms, and can act as a microbial reservoir. When my fob watch is unavailable I carry a wristwatch in my pocket and hold it in my non-dominant hand, as I use my dominant hand to take the pulse.

[healthcarefome]

I don't wear a wristwatch for hygeine reasons - it makes it much more difficult to wash your wrists and forearms, and can act as a microbial reservoir. When my fob watch is unavailable I carry a wristwatch in my pocket and hold it in my non-dominant hand, as I use my dominant hand to take the pulse.

hmm- I wonder if our instructor will let us use something other than wrist watches -

I also wondered about the wash hands thing too because I am easily eczematous( is that a word?lol) -but my watch (I bought from walmart - says it is for handwashing) what that really means for sure I don't know. I mean - how is any watch for handwashing?

but the non dominant hand is the way to go!

[rancelumsden]

The watch may or may not be needed depending on your job duties.

I worked in a clinic where I took BP and pulse on everyone coming in to see the doc. Had to wear a watch --- no clocks in the little waiting rooms.

In hospital, I was usually able to see the clock on the wall that every room had, so I carried a watch in my scrubs pocket and used it from time to time. I used my dominant hand to hold the wrist and take the pulse, so if wearing a watch, it went on the 'lessor used' wrist.

It's true that a watch and band could be a place for germs to hide, but my experience was that almost every nurse carried a watch, usually on the wrist, primarily to take pulse and resp too without having to search for a clock on the wall or position themselves to see the clock --- simply more efficient.

As many people may be aware, pocket watches were almost 'standard' a century ago as people did not wear watches on the wrist. If you watch films that depict 'old times', you'll see the nurse or doc take a watch out of their pocket, suspended by a chain, and check that.

I've seen nurses do that too for the sake of hygeine. Or, a less expensive alternative is to use a 'regular' watch and simply suspend it from a chain (such as a chrome chain that can be cleaned) rather than specifically get a pocket watch that will cost more.

[Katie89]

You can also get a watch with a stretchy band, so you can just push it up your arm when you wash your hands. This doesn't really solve the germ problem, of course.

[nightmare, RN]

Of course if you loop the strap and use a safety pin you can turn a wrist watch into a fob watch.I never wear a watch on my wrist when working,to much a risk of infection and skin damage to the elderly.

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

I wear my watch in my pocket. Tied to a string that I loop around my pen-holder thingie so I don't lose it if it falls out.

[talaxandra]

I got my fob watch at a nursing expo - sturdy steel with a bright blue facing on the clip and around the dial, for $40 Australian (and tax-deductible!)

[SteveNNP, MSN, NP]

If you are right-handed, wear the watch on your right hand. That way you can use your right hand to palpate the pulse while being able to see the watchface clearly.

FYI, most automatic vitals machines will give you a pulse. Also, a lot of electronic thermometers have a built in minute timer for pulses.

[sonomala]

Watches were required for clinicals but as for actual work places I think it depends.

I'm right handed wear the watch on the left :)

[ShyGecko]

I never wore my watch, I just kept it in my pocket. It didn't matter what hand I held it in when taking pulse, because I worked on an infant/toddler floor of a peds hospital and we took pulse with the stethoscope. I don't really have any experience taking pulse on adults with my watch, so I couldn't tell you there. I would probably agree and say wear it on the hand you take pulse with, so you can hold and watch the clock at the same time.

[Speed Freak]

I am going to start my training in two weeks but I have a watch that is on a caribiner that I clip on to a belt loop, backpack strap or button hole. May not work for clinicals but I plan to use it for work.