Staff and artificial nails

[txdon]

More than half of my staff are wearing artificial nails with outlandish nail polish. This is not allowed per policy but the staff has gotten away with it for years. Not only is this against policy, but the risk of infection increases, not to mention the lack of professionalism. Any suggestions on how to enforce this?

[taalyn_1, CNA]

Hmm, take a bottle of nail polish remover with you to work and if you see it on them quietly hand them the bottle witha couple of cotton balls. -- as for the fake nails, maybe a write up or two would get the point across?

I dont mind nail polish as much, although I see the point in the policy, what I do mind is the long fingernails. My residents are old and have frail thin skin, those things are just asking for a skin tear.

[caregiver1977]

I just want to say I couldn't agree more with the OP and taalyn1.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

I have artificial nails..(ok flame me). I keep them very short and filled in(every week and a half).. I wash my hands more than I did before I had the acrylic nails. I wear gloves when I touch a resident or their bed sheets. I don't have any odd colors. I usually keep them in a very light pink almost beige color.

[j464335]

I would love to have beautiful nails...but... they're not worth the incident report I'll have to fill out after I've accidently scratched a patient OR the bacteria that would stay with me for months(( YUCK))

[Chin up]

Those nurses have an increased chance of infection, wearing artificial nails. For that reason alone, I would have them removed from the facility. I don't feel as strongly about the polish. Just don't wear it, myself. Peace!

*But don't forget, having artificial nails removed after wearing for a long time, compromises the nail bed too.

[KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN]

I have worked in a few long term/assisted living facilities over the past two years, and I have seen several nurses & aides wear artificial nails. And no one ever says anything to them..when I was in high school & my first two years in college, I wore artificial nails. I miss them but like someone said, I don't want to fill out an incident report b/c I caused a skin tear lol.

[SweettartRN]

I would put up a 72 hour notice giving them a chance to get them removed, and then start doing write ups.

Nurses or nursing staff of any kind should not have fake nails.

Gag.

[elkpark]

I would put up a 72 hour notice giving them a chance to get them removed, and then start doing write ups.

Nurses or nursing staff of any kind should not have fake nails.

Gag.

Exactly.

[SandBetweenMyToes, BSN, RN]

Just a bit of devil's advocacy...I do not wear artificial nails now (I work directly with patients). However, I did wear them when I had an administrative position. Regarding the possibility of skin tears: my nails were much less "sharp" when coated with acrylic than they are now without. My nails are much sharper, and thus more likely to scratch someone, in their natural state, than they were with acrylic coating. I think the infection rate is somewhat over-hyped, but that being said, anyone wearing acrylic topping needs to keep them professionally cared for on a very regular basis. I also agree with the issue of patient perception and overall professionalism.

[MouseMichelle]

I never wear fake nails as a nurse I can scratch or hurt a patient with them needless to say the hygeinic factor. How to enforce? Talk to them, give them a verbal warning, then written etc.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

In our unit, you get caught with them, you are off without pay until the nails are gone. We had so many that thought they could slide by, but it is documented that MRSA and Pseudomonas can come from artificial nails. We also encourage moms to take them off....and almost every one of our kids that have had MRSA, the moms have been wearing fake nails.